Illusory Love
by Isis the Sphinx
Summary: Ring of shadows. All that is forbidden. Different. Become what I truly want to be. The darkness, my dear. The soul is the creator of one's dreams. It is all a facade. Something different about you. Screaming. It's all a lie. I don't want to hurt anyone.
1. The Beginning

Once again, welcome to the first chap of Ghost Friends. If someone has a better title for this fic, tell me, as I don't like the title I've given it.

Disclaimer...(As said by JewelValentine) Roses are red, violets are blue. I don't own, so you don't sue.

**_R&R R&R R&R R&R R&R!_**

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The Beginning

Rhia was sitting at her computer reading Yugioh fanfic summaries. It was a half day at her school, so she was taking the extra time to read.

" Sheesh, there are a lot of yaoi fics here. What goes through peoples minds I don't want to know." She said, sticking her tongue out.

The brown haired girl continues to skim through the summaries. She soon glanced down at the digital clock at the bottom of her monitor.

"Oh SHIT! I'm gonna be late for my bus!" Rhia shouted.

Rhia left her computer right where it is, grabbed her backpack and key, and ran out the door. Rhia got to her bus just in time. She went through the adjusted schedule of a half day, with periods two and four. Everyone at the school acted like zombies. They knew the day was short and they knew they weren't going to get much done. Three hours later, Rhia was back on the bus to go home. The teen, a fourteen year old, fifteen in August, listened with little interest to the conversations everyone else on the bus was having. Rhia lived in a somewhat troubled development, not as bad as downtown New York, but nowhere near perfect, either. There was colorful cursing every now and then, which is where Rhia learned her bad language. The bus finally made it to her stop, and she got off the bus alone. She had no friends who lived nearby, so the walk home was a quiet one. The wind was blowing hard that March day, the wind's fingers playing havoc with Rhia's hair.

**Suddenly, seemingly from no where, strange music started playing. Like that of an Egyptian pan flute and double necked oboe, but as quickly as it came, it had gone.**

"Hmm? What was that? Music?" Rhia stopped messing with her hair for a moment as she looked around for the source of the sound. Nothing. Silence. No one was around and it was completely quiet. No sound but the wind.

"I'm hearing things. Ah well, no homework today, I can read more fanfic!" Rhia said excitedly and went home in a happier mood. But she had no idea she was being watched.

Yugi's Point of View

_In the Yugioh world_

Yugi Mouto sighed and looked up at the ceiling as he lied down on his bed.

"Things have been pretty quiet recently, ne?" He said to seemingly no one. Then a small flash of light came from the pyramid shaped pendent he wore around his neck, and a transparent figure appeared beside him. He looked just like Yugi, but a bit more mature, and had a sense of confidence around him.

-/Yes, things have quieted down a bit./- Yami Yugi agreed.

"Yea—" Yugi nodded but cut short seeing that his puzzle started glowing again. "..Uh, Yami? What's—" A quick flash of blinding light came and both Yugi and Yami shielded there eyes, but when they opened them again, the realized they weren't in Yugi's room anymore.

Yugi looked around, wondering what else good be happening now. _Where am I? One minute, I'm going to bed, the next, the Puzzle lights up, and I appear here._He looked around again and noticed a girl walking down the side walk in front of them._ Wait a minute, maybe that girl can help._

"Miss! Miss! Hey! Wait!" He shouted to the girl. Yugi ran right up to Rhia and tried to tap her on the shoulder, but his hand went right through her!

/She can't see or hear me! Atem, what do I do/ Yugi asked his counterpart.

-/I don't know aibou, just follow her for now. Let's see what we can learn just from observing./- Atem said through their mind link.

/Okay./ Yugi sighed, resigned to waiting.

Yugi followed Rhia to what he guessed was her house. She opened the door and walked right in. Yugi just made it before she shut the door again.

"Uhg! It's all yaoi! Am I in the wrong section? I don't want to deal with this right now**." **Rhia complained in frustration.

And so, Rhia tromped up the stairs and proceeded to look at some of her manga, _Yu-Gi-Oh!_manga to be exact. Both Yugi and Atem gasp, that was right after Duelist Kingdom. The date between Atem and Anzu. Rhia sighed.

"No fair, they get all the fun. Anzu isn't that great anyways. All she does is spout friendship speeches and dresses like a slut. She may be smart, but she seriously needs a life. Ah well, life isn't fair." Rhia then proceeded to yawn. A huge yawn. She puts the book down and gets into bed to take a nap before her Tae Kwon Do lessons.(A/N: Naps are lifesavers! I also take Tae Kwon Do (TKD) )

/Great! She's taking a nap, we're ghosts, and we don't even know where we are anymore, let alone how to talk to people! Just great/ Yugi grumbled, exasperated.

-/Hmm…I wonder…/- Atem pondered.

/What? Atem? Wonder what/

-/Maybe we can talk to her in her dreams./-

/Huh? What do you mean/

-/We're ghosts, right? If we're lucky, we can send her a message through her dreams./-

Yugi only nodded and walked over to Rhia on her bed. Atem got close and brushed away the long brown bangs away from the young girls face. He closed his eyes and placed his hand on her forehead. Suddenly, Atem and Yugi were no longer standing next to the girl; they were standing in her soul room.

-/I didn't expect to end up here./-

/The soul is the creator of one's dreams, so if we ended up here, that means we'll be talking to her almost directly./

Rhia's soul room was very unusual, even to Yugi, who had two soul rooms in one body. This girl's soul room was more like a field, the transparent walls almost impossible to see. There was soft, deep green grass underfoot, and a somewhat brisk breeze going constantly. The desk that looked so out of place was just a few feet from Atem and Yugi, and on it a computer. The sky was not a light blue, as could be expected, but constantly changing from light pink to orange to red to purple and other hot colors. The feeling that emanated from this soul room was that of a wishing, and a mystery, that just couldn't be explained.

/Wow, this room tells me a lot about this girl./

-/Yes, I see. The wind probably signifies suppressed angershe has often lost her temper, but held it back. The multicolored sky are emotions that can change with the drop of a hat. The desk means that this person likes to be alone a lot, and has many things that she wants hidden. She probably thinks that her secrets are something to be ashamed of and wants no one to laugh at her, and that means low self-confidence and low self-esteem. The fact that we are in a field means that she is a quiet person, no matter what others think of her, and won't do much if she is bullied./-

"Who are you? What are you doing here? You are invading my personal space! Leave, or I will force you!" A voice suddenly said.

Rhia had appeared in front of the two boys, but looked different. Instead of the sloppy t-shirt and ripped jeans she had been wearing, she looked a lot better. She was wearing a gauzy white tunic that went down to her knees, which had a blue fire lining on the collar and sleeves. She was also wearing a short, navy blue skirt that went down to just above her knees. The sandals she was wearing were roman sandals, the kind that had to be wrapped around the calves to stay on.

"We are sorry, we will leave as soon as we can. But we just wanted to talk, you see, as we are lost." Yugi said, hoping to calm this young woman before she did anything rash.

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YAYAY! Once again, I have reposted this fic. Alas, it got deleted **TWICE **because of the script format funny things I would put at the end of chaps. I will somehow find out who did that. When I do... 

Anyways...**_REVIEW! _**I get hits on this fic, yet no reviews. It drives me insane!


	2. Visions of the Past

Here's chap two.

Disclaimer...I don't own, you don't sue!

**_R&RR&RR&RR&RR&RR&RR&RR&R_**

**_R&R!_**

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Vision of the Past

"You must give me a better reason that that!" Rhia said, the wind in the soul room picking up, the sky growing dark.

"Please, listen." Atem pleaded, "You are the only one we trust. About half an hour ago, we appeared here, in the form of ghosts, unable to talk or touch anything. You were the only one around, so we decided to follow you. My name is Atem and my friend is Yugi. We only want to go home."

"Atem? Yugi? Is it…Yes! It is! Wow, I'm having the coolest dream ever!" She said, slightly taken aback and elated that her favorite manga characters were in a dream of hers.

/Atem, she still thinks we're just a dream. Sure, we're communicating with her, but it's not helping/ Yugi pointed out worriedly.

/Aibou, patients. Maybe we can use this to our advantage. We can figure out why we came here and how. For now, lets just go along with it./ Atem answered wisely, trying to calm Yugi down.

Rhia suddenly jerked her head and frowned.

"Hmm? Oh, dear, and this dream was so good. My alarm is going off. I have to get up now. If I'm lucky, I'll remember this dream. Goodbye Yugi, Atem." Yugi and Atem are forced out of Rhia's body as she woke up and turned off her alarm clock. She started to get ready for TKD (A/N: Tae Kwon Do. Haven't I told you this already?), and remembered her dream.

"Boy, I'm obsessed. I'm watching waaay too much Yu-Gi-Oh. I'm starting to dream about it." She says to herself, shaking her head. Rhia went and came back from TKD, ate dinner, completed her homework, and headed off to bed, exhausted. Her sleep wasn't peaceful and dreamless. She dreamt of Battle City, the hardest moments for Yugiand company. The battle between Yugi and Strings, Yugi and Joey, Yugi and Bakura, Mai and Marik, Joey and Marik, and finally, Yugi and Marik. She woke up in the middle of the night with tears streaming down her face.

'What am I feeling? Melancholy? I should have been there. Well, it feels as if I should have been there.' Rhia then fell back to sleep, her dreams peaceful once again.

The sun rose, and Rhia's day started again, as usual. Get up at six am; eat a meager breakfast, for she never has been really hungry at this time of day, grab an apple for lunch, and run out the door to catch her bus. English, her first period, was slow, so she usually had time to read. She was exhausted, and she soon fell asleep on top of her book. The resulting dream was confusing.

"Rekhyt, stay here, I have to go." A man in pharaoh garb forcefully said to a woman.

"No! Atem, I want to go with you! This…could be the last time I see you." The woman, seemingly Rehkyt, said, shaking.

"No! Zork is dangerous! If he hurt you, I wouldn't be able to live with myself." Atem finalized the command, then looked at her lovingly.

"Goodbye…my love." Rehkyt started to cry.

Someone shaking her shoulder jerked Rhia awake to her English class. She was given a short reprimand for falling asleep, and continued with class. The dream stayed with her the whole day. Walking home from her bus stop, Rhia ran over the dream in her head.

'_That dream, it felt so real. But it couldn't have been. Atem was my husband, and my name was Rehkyt. It just doesn't make sense. Atem is a fictional character, created by Kazuki Takahashi_ (A/N: all hail KT!) _It's impossible for it to be real. But, do I want it to be real? A dream is a wish your heart makes, is mine wishing that world to be real? Or it this just some random though created by my muse? Think later, my head is starting to hurt from all this thinking.' _She walked home, the dream still haunting her.

She walked into her house and up to her room to take another nap, she was as extremely tired as she was yesterday, even with the nap she got in school. She set down her backpack, and got ready to take a nap that would last until dinner. As soon as her head hit the pillow, she was asleep.

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I know, I know, it's boring, but a plot will come soon, I PROMISE! Please read and review! I beg you! 


	3. The Second Dream

Disclaimer If you think I own Yugioh, you need to get your head checked.

**_R&RR&RR&RR&RR&RR&RR&RR&RR&RR&RR&R!_**

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Chapter three: The Second Dream

Rhia woke up, her dream still fresh in her mind. She chuckled, still not believing it.

"I never knew I was such a wild dreamer. Heh…" She chuckled to herself. From downstairs, she heard her mother calling her, pulling Rhia out of her thoughts.

"Rhia! Dinner time!" Her mother shouted.

"Coming Mom!" Rhia walked down the stairs, through the kitchen, and into the dining room, where a plate of hamburger patties lay. She looked at the patties and her eyes grew large.

'_Uh-Oh, they want something. They only do this when then they want something.' _She thought.

The fourteen year old sat down to dinner, suspicious of what her parents wanted. Rhia soon realized what her parents wanted.

"Rhia? How's school?" Her mother asked.

Rhia flinched inwardly. She hated these kinds of questions with a passion. "Fine."

"Grades?" Her mother asked her another question, almost rapid-fire style.

"Good." She answered nonchalantly, getting slightly annoyed with the questions.

"Homework?" Her dad questioned her, following up on the questions of his wife.

Rhia's parents had to go through this every semester. She usually hated at least one of her classes and therefore didn't do the homework.

"Done." She answered simply.

It was true. English was the only class that had assigned homework and she completed it at school. Her parents continued to give her suspicious looks, not believing her, but dropped the subject. The rest of dinner was quiet, giving Rhia the chance to reflect on the dream she had earlier.

'_It felt so real.' Rhia mused, 'The warmth of the Egyptian sun, the slight breeze. I was holding his hand; it was so…firm and warm. So soothing.' _She blushed slightly, remembering the feeling perfectly. _'And, the emotions…wow. The worry, not for myself, but for Atem. The fear for my husband, _(more blushing) _and the strongest emotion, love. I felt the strongest love I've ever felt right then and there. I was ready to give my life for him. But it never happened, and it'll never happen. It was just a dream.' _With that, Rhia came back to reality.

"Hey, Mom?" She asked. Her mom looked up from the magazine she was reading.

"Yeah?"

"I'm really not that hungry. Can I go to bed?" Rhia's mom's facial expression changes almost immediately. Her eyebrows shot straight up and compassion wrote itself all over her face.

"Sure, hun. Just take your plate to the sink. Are you feeling all right?" She asked with concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired." Rhia lied.

Rhia went upstairs and got ready for bed. But instead of going straight to sleep, she picked up her duel monsters cards and what was the beginning of a deck. She absentmindedly flipped through her cards. What was really on her mind was the content of her dreams, and the fact that they were less like dreams, and more like visions.

'_What is going on with me? First, I dreamt that I was having a conversation with Yugi and Atem, and then I dreamt that I was Atem's wife in ancient Egypt. I must really be obsessed.''_

The tired girl finished looking through her cards, and started to look through her deck. She stopped at Harpie Girl.

"I miss you, Jen. I really do." Rhia murmured, almost inaudible.

Harpie Girl was given to Rhia through a trade with a good friend. The said friend was three years younger then her. Also, her friend moved away not long after the trade. That made Harpie Girl extremely special to Rhia, as it was a gift from a good friend. Rhia put Harpie Girl on top of her deck and put her deck away. She then turned off the light. If Rhia could see in the dark, she probably would have seen Harpie Girl blink.

_Inside Rhia's Mind_

_(A/N: Inside Rhia's dream)_

Two young children, more like 2 or 3 years old, were playing in a sandbox. One, a young boy with tri-colored hair and vivid purple eyes, was trying his best to make a sandcastle without water. The other, a young girl that looked like a three-year-old version of Rhia, was filling a bucket with sand for the other to use. A few adults were laughing at the children's attempts to make a sandcastle. A woman, not much older than thirty, laughed and turned to the man next to her.

"Look at 'em. It's so cute. Let's take a picture. Why not? It's why we came here."

"All right Keiko, hold on! I'll get the camera." The man held up his hands, as if in surrender, and started to shuffle things around in his nearby bag.

_Six months later, still in the same dream._

The younger Rhia was sleeping peacefully in her bed. In the corner of the room, a bright white light appeared, and the young Rhia woke up. But she didn't cry out. Maybe fear stoped her, maybe curiosity, but she didn't yell. A woman that looked about forty walked out of the light and into Rhia's room. She picks Rhia up and leaves with Rhia in her arms. A kidnapping.

_Present day_

Rhia was watching this vision with confusion. What did this mean? Unbeknownst to Rhia, Yugi was watching as well.

_Why am I watching this?_ Was the foremost thought running through his head. It showed on his face. Then, everything disappeared. There was white everywhere. A voice spoke from nowhere and everywhere.

"Rhia, the life you are living in is not the life you were born to. Prepare yourself to return to your birth world!" It said, sounding like it was echoing off every wall.

Then Rhia started to disappear herself. She notices this and the fact that Yugi is right there next to her all at once.

"Yugi! Please! Help me!" She screamed desperately. She reached out a hand to him, but Yugi couldn't take it, as it was gone.

"Rhia! Don't worry! I'll save you!" He tried to reassure her, but had a hard time, as he was afraid as well. But it was too late; Rhia had disappeared from the dream, and not in the way she should have.

"Yugi, Rhia has helped you in this world. She will soon need your help in yours. Be prepared." The mysterious voice said.

Then Yugi disappeared as well and he reappeared in his own realm, in his own room, asleep. In Rhia's world, in her room, and her deck began to glow. Then her body begins to glow the same color of gold her deck was. Then they both disappeared.

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O.O! See? I told you something would happen. I'm sorry if the chaps are short. I just feel like this is the perfect length for them. Please R&R!


	4. The Rending

Chap four is here!

Disclaimer...I don't own Yugioh. Get over it. (I wish I did)

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The Rending

Yugi woke up at 8:00 a.m. as his alarm went off. He looked around, expecting to be in a room that was somewhat unfamiliar to him, but was relieved to see his own four walls. Yugi took off his powder blue cloud pajamas and changed into a tight black, cutoff t-shirt, and tight leather pants. Then, the accessories. A tight, navy blue choker and silver bracelets on his arms. Yugi padded down stairs in his socks and saw that his grandpa was already making breakfast.

"Morning Yugi."

"Morn'n Jii-chan."

The elder Mouto turned to face Yugi, but his attention was mostly on the eggs, which were threatening to burn.

"Yugi, could you get the paper? I have to baby these eggs." Mr. Mouto asked his grandson. 

"Sure Grandpa." Yugi walked through the kitchen, and into the game shop part of his home, to the front door. His jaw dropped as he saw what was lying there next to the paper. A girl was lying in the fetal position right on top of the welcome mat. Her hair was oak brown for the most part, with lighter brown highlights here and there. But what really struck Yugi was the familiarity of what the girl was wearing: A long, white tunic with light blue fire at the collar and sleeves, and a navy blue skirt that went just below the knees. It was the girl from his 'dream'. Yugi saw that she had a small stream of blood running from her temple, just above the hairline, to the chin.

"Grandpa! Come quick! I need help!" He quickly called out to his grandpa.

"Yugi? What is-"Mr. Mouto saw the girl lying on the ground. "Oh dear. Let's get her inside quickly." With their combined strength, the girl was soon on the couch in the living room, with Yugi bandaging her head wound. Yugi was cleaning up the extra band-aids, and thinking of who the mystery girl could be.

_Could she be the girl from my dream? In my dream she said her name was Rhia, but she looks familiar. Like I've known her from before. And, she's beautiful. Her face is that of an angel. I really don't know what happened to her, but I'll help her with all I can._ He took the girl's hand and squeezed it, to comfort her. The head wound she had was serious, and Yugi wasn't sure she would come out of it. To Yugi's surprise, she squeezed weakly back. Over the next five hours, Rhia turned and shifted, as if she was experiencing a nightmare. Yugi continued to comfort her, to assure her, and it seemed to work, she always calmed down. A few minutes after another 'nightmare', Rhia started to wake up.

"Oh man. What a head ache." Her hand went to her forehead, and she could tell that she wasn't in her own bed. Her eyes snapped open. "Where am I?" She demanded, tensing up.

"It's OK. You're in the Kame game shop.**"** Yugi said slowly, trying not to scare the girl.

"Kame…Game shop?" Her eyes widened. "Nuh-uh, no way. This…but how?" Rhia couldn't believe what she was seeing, so she closed her eyes, then opened them again hoping it was a dream. It wasn't.

"I was getting the morning paper when I saw you on the doorstep." Yugi explained as best he could, but not knowing much either about her arrival, he wasn't such a big help.Grandpa Mutou walked in and saw that Rhia was awake.

"Hoho! Our visitor is awake now? Tell me, what's your name?" He asked.Yugi and his grandpa waited, but no answer came. Rhia remained silent. "Oh, forgive me, I've forgotten my manners. I'm Suguroku Mutou, but everyone calls me Jii-chan. And this is my grandson, Yugi." Yugi nodded when his name was said, and the wait for the girl's name started again.

"Rhiannon. Rhia…for short." The familiar girl finally answered, unsurely.

Yugi's eyes lit up in recognition. She was the girl from his 'dream'. Suguroku's eyebrows rose up in recognition as well.

"Rhia…that sounds so familiar. Maybe…" Grandpa went in search of, what it seemed to be a photo album. Yugi and Rhia watched in curiosity, not exactly sure what he was doing. "Aha! Here it is. Rhia, does this look familiar?" Rhia took the picture and gasped. It was the exact scene in the second dream she had, just before she appeared here. It was a toddler version of herself and Yugi trying to build a sandcastle in a sandbox. "I thought so. You look so much like your mother, did you know that? What happened to you?"

Rhia was perplexedto say the least. What did he mean by "You look so much like your mother"?

**  
**"Huh? What do you mean? Nothing happened, except, of course, suddenly showing up here for some reason…" She trailed off.

"Rhia, I'll tell you everything, just answer me this. Who are your parents?" Solomon asked, pity beginning to form in his eyes.

"Dan and Sarah Analy," She answered sharply. The pity that had begun to form in Solomon's eyes completely took over.

"This will be a shock to you but, Sarah and Dan Analy**…** they are not your parents. When you were three, you were kidnapped. No one knew how it happened; there were no signs of forced entry. Your parents, Keiko and Shinji Harada were grief stricken and soon died in a car crash. I don't know how else to say this, but the people who you thought were your parents, aren't."

Rhia was shocked. Her whole life was a lie? She didn't know what to think. The people who had taken care of her for fifteen years weren't here parents, and her real ones were dead. Shock and grief were rampant in Rhia's mind. Her shock fueled her grief, and she snapped. The tears started to flow, and she didn't know what to do. She got up and pushed away from her the closest person, which happened to be Yugi. She ran out the door, just wanting to get away from everything.

"Rhia! Wait!" Yugi ran after her, but was soon left behind, because of his short legs. Rhia knew exactly where she was going, the perfect place to hide: Domino Park. The one place where no one would find her, unless she wanted them to. The perfect place to calm her emotions and think things through.

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Ouch. I had to do that to her though. Now you know why this chaps called the Rending. Please R&R! 


	5. The Calling

Yeah, chap five. Nothing special.(notice sarcasm in voice).

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Chapter 5

The Calling

(A/N/blah/ is Atem to Yugi

/Blah/ is Yugi to Atem)

Rhia got to Domino Park, and immediately climbed up the closest tree. Her sobs had decreased in volume, but not intensity. She was so confused. She had just been told that her whole life had been a lie, and to top it all off, she just ran away from the one person that would help her. For a while, Rhia just sat there, in the tree. Soon, she became numb to the pain, and she didn't notice that her tears continued to fall. She was remembering life, the good things, and the bad.

_It was all a lie. But, I can't believe that. It was too real; it couldn't have been a lie. I-I don't know what to think anymore. _So Rhia didn't think. She just stared at what was in front of her. Most people call this zoning out, but she called it relief. She didn't have to feel anything when she was like this. She was pulled out of the sweet nothingness when she heard her name. It was Yugi, and he was looking everywhere for Rhia except, where she actually was, up in a tree. Rhia waited until Yugi's back was turned to the tree she was in before she got down. She called to him, but it was barely audible.

"Yugi, I'm here." He turned around and when Rhia looked into those violently purple eyes, every bit of pain she felt before washed over her again. Her knees weakened and she slid down, the sobs almost choking her. Yugi saw that and immediately walked over and hugged Rhia. He didn't know what had come over him, and he blushed but didn't break the hug. Rhia didn't fight the hug either. Rather, she put her head on his chest and hugged him tightly. Yugi's blush deepened.

"Was it a lie?" Rhia asked after a minute. They both released each other.

"What was a lie?" Yugi asked.

"My whole life, everything I've ever gone through. Was it a lie?" Rhia asked, the red-rimmed and puffy eyes that threatened tears, looking Yugi full in the face.

"No. That was not a lie. All your experiences were true. Are you feeling better now?" Rhia nodded, and they both stood up to a beautiful sunset.

"Wow. Look at that." Rhia said, her eyes wide.

"Yeah, sunsets in Domino are beautiful," Rhia nodded in agreement. "Just like you." Yugi said, blushing again. Rhia's head snaps toward Yugi.

"What?"

"Nothing." Yugi quickly muttered. Rhia was surprised.

_Did he just call me beautiful? No one's ever called me that before. _They were both blushing deeply, but the red glow from the sun hid it, so neither noticed the other's face.

As they were walking home, neither noticed that they were holding hands.

Coming up to the game shop, Yugi opened his mouth to say something, thought about it, then closed his mouth again. Instead, he decides to ask someone much wiser than him.

/Atem/

/Yes, Yugi/

/I want to ask Rhia about her life. About how she lived before she came here. But I'm not sure if she's ready to tell. Should I ask her/

/That's your decision, Yugi. Do you think she is? Look at her facial expressions, her eyes. She looks calm, but a storm could be raging. I would wait a day or two, but you _could_ ask her now. We'll find out sooner or later anyways./

/Big help you are. But I'll ask her now. If she doesn't want to tell me, I understand./

/Ok, aibou./

"Rhia?" Yugi finally piped up.

"Yeah?" Rhia looked down at Yugi. She didn't have to look far though, there wasn't that much of a height difference. Yugi came right out and said it.

"What was your life like? I mean, before you came here?"

"I was wondering when you were going to ask that. It's a long story though," Rhia answered slowly. Yugi pulled out a key from his pocket, and unlocked the front door to the game shop. The elder Mutou had left a note on the front door that said he had gone grocery shopping and would be back soon.

"We have time." He said as he let Rhia in.

"Ok. Well, first off, I lived in America." Yugi's eyebrows shot up.

"America?" He asked in amazement. Rhia grinned and nodded.

"Yeah. Mid-Atlantic coast. Only a few hours from the shore. I lived in a town house, and it was cramped, even with just three people. I guess it was because of the cats. I had six cats. Toby, Ginger, Patches, Marshmallow, Peaches, and Spot. They're probably all on the bed right now."

"So I take it you like cats." Yugi assumed.

"Yeah, I love cats. Anyways, besides the cats, I had a few friends. I wasn't too close to them, though. Once a loner, always a loner, I guess."

Rhia didn't know it, but what she was telling Yugi told more about her than she wanted him to know.

/Wow./

/What/

/Are you listening to this? She's a lot like me. At least before I completed the puzzle. She has a few friends, but is too afraid to let anyone get too close to her. She's closer to her pets that her own friends. Something hurt her, and she doesn't want to be hurt again./

/That will all change soon, won't it aibou/

/Yeah, Rhia just has to meet the gang. That's all./

Meanwhile, Rhia was waving her hands frantically in front of Yugi's face. He had totally zoned out! Right in the middle of what she was saying, too.

"Yugi? Ya Ok? You awake?"

/Aibou/

/Yeah/

/You might want to stop talking to me now. Rhia's noticed you've spaced out./

/Oh dear./

Yugi snapped out of his trance, and was startled to see Rhia's face inches from his nose.

"Did I space out?" Yugi asked, grinning sheepishly.

"Yeah, ya did. Do ya do that often?" Rhia wondered. Yugi nodded. "Well, now that you know about me, what about you? But I'm really curios about that pendant of yours." Yugi wasn't sure on what to say. No one really asked about his puzzle. Either they already knew about it or they didn't care. He decided to trust her. Why he had this feeling that he could trust her, he didn't know.

"Well, it's a long story, but here goes. About two years ago…

(Insert explanation from completion of puzzle to end of Ceremonial Battle. In my little world, Atem won. XD) "Yugi finished, a little out of breath. It was a long explanation. Rhia was silent for a minute, trying to make sense of things.

"So the puzzle contains an ancient Pharaoh, who saved the world, got trapped in the puzzle, you complete it, and history repeats itself. You go through three tournaments, almost die two, no three times and save the world three times. And, in the process, gain the Millennium Tauk and Rod. Man, I thought my life was hard." She shrugged and Yugi grinned. "Can I see him? I mean, the Pharaoh, if it's Ok?"

/Do you want to/

/Yes. I'll take over now./

A bright flash emanated from the puzzle. Rhia's eyes widened and she gasped.

"Hello. I am Pharaoh Atem. Nice to meet you." Atem held out his hand for Rhia to shake it. She did, and quickly got a look at the differences he has, compared to Yugi. He looked more mature than Yugi, and had sharper eyes that had a touch of crimson to them. The blond part of his hair, instead of just bangs, stood up on end into the black part, and he looked taller and older.

"Ummm…I want to ask you one thing. Can I see the Tauk and Rod? It's one thing to hear about something, and another to see it."She asked, curious about the items. Atem nodded.

"Sure. Let me go get them." He walked upstairs to his room, and Rhia followed. He went to Yugi's bed and pulled out a blue and white duffle bag. He unzipped it and inside was the Tauk and Rod.

"They're beautiful." Rhia said, awestruck. The Tauk shimmered slightly and Rhia thought she heard it call to her.

'_Rhia, Rhia'._

"It's calling to me…" She reached out to touch the Tauk.

"Rhia! DON'T!" Both Yugi, from his mind link, and Atem yelled. They both knew what happened to someone who tried to take a Millennium Item that wasn't destined to it.

It was too late. Rhia had picked up the Tauk. The Third Eye had appeared on her forehead.(A/N: Ya know, the thing that appears on Atem when he Mind Crushes someone.) And for the second time in one day, Rhia was unconscious.

* * *

Once again, I had to do that to her. Rhia's in for a big surprise. Please R&R! 


	6. Rehkyt

Chapter 6

Rehkyt

:Atem to Yugi:

:Yugi to Atem:

/Rhia to Rehkyt/

-/Rehkyt to Rhia/-

Rhia looked around. She had no idea where she was, none of it was familiar to her. She was standing in a field of soft, deep green grass that seemed to go on forever. Looking around, she noticed that there were four walls around her, but they were transparent, almost enough that you couldn't see them. There was a lone desk in the middle of the field. The girl walked over to it and saw a computer on it, much like the one she had at home. Raising her head skyward, she noticed the sky was not just a blue, but rather a pink, then a red, then a purple, then to other colors of the sort. A soft breeze wisped across her face and then it hit her. This was where she had her first dream with Atem and Yugi in it.

Rhia quickly turned around to inspect her "dream world" to see if they were here again, but saw no one. She was alone. Just like always. Then, something caught her eye. On one of the transparent walls was a door, but it looked much more solid, almost real. She tentatively walked up to it and inspected it.

The door was a soft gold color and shimmered slightly. She slowly reached for the doorknob and opened the door. Instantly, a big gust of wind came from the door almost blowing Rhia completely back, but she stood her ground. The mysterious wind died away, almost as quickly as it came. Stepping out of her "dream world" her foot hit hard stone instead of soft grass. She looked around again and noticed that she was now in a sort of corridor, made of hard stone, with dark shadows dancing around the corners. The door behind her shut with a _bang_ and she soon realized that there was no way to get back in now.

Now, with the path behind her gone, she decided to walk ahead, deeper into the shadows. Rhia's vision became blurred and she soon could not see at all. Before she could do anything about it, however, she had walked right into something hard. She winced at the contact then realized that what she hit was in fact another door, but this door looked different. It had a strange eye symbol on it, like the one on the Millennium Puzzle, and it also looked as if it were made of steel. Rhia reached out for the doorknob, but before she could touch it, the door swung open.

/Hello./ a feminine sounding voice said, seemingly coming from within the room.

Rhia stepped into the strange room and looked around for the source of the voice. This room looked much different from her room though. It was dark, covered in shadows, and a sense of mystery pulsed from within the room. Her eyes came to a figure who was leaning against a wall idly.

/Who are you? And where are we/ Rhia asked the figure.

-/We are in your mind. Right now you are in my soul room./- The figure answered simply, coming more into view. This person looked a lot like Rhia, but a little different. For one, she wore more Egyptian garb, but she looked familiar to Rhia.

/We're in my head? Oh, well that's different… but why are you here then/

-/I am the spirit, the yami, of the Millennium Tauk, and since you were chosen for the Millennium Tauk, I am now apart of you./-

/You're… apart of me/

-/Yes/-

/Well, you still didn't answer my first question. Who are you/

-/My name is Rehkyt./-

/Rehkyt…That sounds familiar. Wait a minute, my dream! You were in my dream. You and Atem./

-/Yes, just before he went to fight Zork./- Rehkyt answered, sounding rather calm.

/Hold on, you mean that dream was a vision/

-/Yes, Atem was the Pharaoh and I was his Queen./-

/So, unlike Atem, you have memories of ancient Egypt./

-/Some. I remember my name, where I'm from, family, that kind of thing. I also know of this item's ability. I also know I had other magical abilities, unfortunately knowledge of what I could do was wiped when I sealed myself in the Tauk./-

/Umm…ok, so was the place I was just in _my_ soul room/

-/Yes./-

/Then why am I here? I mean, why am I inside my head, and in my soul room/

-/Because you are unconscious./-

/Oh. Why/

-/Your mind was surprised by and couldn't take the sudden connection I made with it./-

/Oh./

-/Can I ask you a question/-

/Besides that one? Sure./

-/Why are you not annoyed that you are hearing another voice in your head? That you have someone else sharing you as a vessel. Are you not afraid/-

/Not really. I thought I was insane the day I turned 12, and I had an imaginary friend until I turned 13. So a voice in my head that has a personality too isn't something that would freak me out./

-/Ah./-

Rhia paused for a moment, looking around the room. It looked like a royals chambers, complete with a four-poster bed, and many scrolls. Then/Rehkyt/

-/Yes/-

/When am I gonna wake up/

-/Right about now./-

/How am I going to contact you again/ Rhia asked as Rehkyt and herself started to fade.

-/Don't worry about it/-

That was the last thing Rhia heard from Rehkyt as she woke up in the guest bed in Yugi's house.

"Rhia! Are you okay?" Yugi asked loudly, worry rampant in his eyes. Rhia sat up and clamped a hand over one ear.

"Oww. Not so loud. I'm right here. I'm alright." Rhia took the item that was still clutched in her hand and put it on. Yugi quickly became confused.

"Wha..?" Why would Rhia put something on that had made her faint? The Items were dangerous.

"Yugi, did you know there was a yami trapped in this item, just like Atem was? Except, she chose it off her own free will."

"She?" Rhia nodded.

"Her name is Rehkyt. Queen to Pharaoh Atem when Zork attacked. Saddened by grief to depression that her only love was gone, she decided to deny herself the afterlife until she could see him again." Rehkyt whispered these details to her, her voice a soft wind in Rhia's ear.

-/Rhia./- Rehkyt's voice rumbled through Rhia's head.

/Yeah/

-/I want to see Atem again./-

/Okay./ A huge surge of love and anticipation washed over Rhia, and she could barely control Rehkyt from taking over too soon.

"Yugi, change into Atem. I can barely hold Rehkyt." Rhia told Yugi, while she grabbed her head in concentration to try to hold Rehkyt back a bit longer.

"Er…Okay." Yugi agreed and switched. Atem came out with an expectant look on his face. A bright light flashed from the Millennium Tauk and the change from Rhia to Rehkyt was dramatic. Her bangs lengthened on one side to create a curtain that hid one eye, her eye color went from brown to green. Her eye shape sharpened and narrowed to mimic Atem's. The look of maturity that Rhia's eyes of fourteen years held aged to that of about twenty-two. Everything else was the same. No change in height or body physique, but Rehkyt was a bit scrawnier.

"Rehkyt…" Atem's voice caught in his throat. His eyes widened to a size never before reached. She smiled, tears running down her face. Without any thought, Rehkyt reached over and hugged him tightly. They still loved each other as passionately as they did before, but didn't go further than a hug, as they weren't…ah…alone.

/Rehkyt./

-/Nani/-

/I know you want to do more, but I'd like to stay a virgin 'till I'm married, thank you very much./

-/Hai. You're right./-

:Atem: Yugi shouted to his other self inside his head.

:Nani:

:Slow down! Remember, you're using my body.:

:Aa. I know. Sorry.:

:It's okay.:

The hikari's took over their bodies again, and the yami's retreated to their soul rooms. They were overjoyed at the fact that they had found each other again, but the hikari's were a little sheepish; Rhia glanced at the clock. Anything to break the nervousness.

"Oh man. Look at the time!" She said nervously. It was 10:00 pm. "You should go to bed."

Yugi looked and sighed in relief. "Yeah. I'll see you in the morning."

"G'night." Rhia said and laid back down in the guest bed.

"G'night." Yugi called as he left her room. One thought came to Rhia as she stared at the ceiling. _What am I going to do for clothes?_

_

* * *

_

OO! YAYAY! Rehkyt is here! (jumps for joy!) Please R&R!


	7. Lamia

Hah! Finally, chapie Seven has arrived! Thank you very much to betas **Hedwig the MilleniumOwl**, and **Anime WarriorSkye**.

Thank you all reviewers. You are,** Golden Lily Dew, WildEm, Divine Crimson Rose, Thomas Drovin, Valinor's Twilight, **and, last but not least,**16forever.** Hey, people who are reading and NOT reviewing, if you review, I give you credit, and virtual cookies!

Double chocolate chip is up for dibs this time people! R&R&Enjoy!

Disclaimer, I don't own this.

* * *

(Atem to Yugi) 

((Yugi to Atem))

_Rehkyt to Rhia>_

_Rhia to Rehkyt>>_

* * *

Chapter Seven

Lamia

It was about 9:30am when Atem started to wake Yugi up.

(Aibou, wake up.)

Yugi only grumbled and turned over.

(GET UP!)

Yugi ignored him. Atem sighed and prepared to let all seven hells loose.

(Yugi! Rabid fan girls are trying to get in through your window)

"What! Where?" Yugi was up and out of bed before he knew what was going on. He realized what happened a minute later and glared at his yami.

((Atem))

(Heh heh. Sorry Yugi, but you wouldn't get up.) Yugi smiled and got dressed. They both left the room and went to the kitchen. As they walked in, they saw Rhia up and making breakfast. The Millennium Tauk glinting in the light.

"Oh. Hey Yugi. I wasn't going to wake you up for another half hour." Rhia said, her attention taken away from the pancake batter.

"Yeah, well, I think Atem smelled bacon. It's his favorite food."

Both Millennium Items glowed for a second, and Rehkyt and Atem appeared in spirit form beside them.

"You have a favorite food?" Rehkyt gaped.

"Well, Yugi's let me experience some more modern things out of dueling, and bacon happens to be one of them." Atem defended himself, feeling a little put off.

Rhia grinned and whispered to Yugi, "Lover's quarrel." Yugi grinned and nodded in agreement. As the two yami's continued to argue, Rhia and Yugi finished making breakfast and set everything on the table. The two yami's finally stopped fighting and everyone sat down to breakfast. The yami's only talked as the hikari's ate and answered Rehkyt's questions about the present world, which was so much different from the ancient Egypt she remembered. Rhia suddenly remembered a problem from last night.

"Uhh…Yugi?"

"Yeah?"

"We need to go clothes shopping."

"What?" Yugi cringed. He hated clothes shopping. The last time he went out with Tea, he(and Atem)was bored out of his mind. Atem sniggered. This was going to be interesting.

"If you hadn't noticed," Rhia looked like she was going to go into a rant.

Rehkyt whispered ,"Oh boy,"

"The only clothes that I have are on my back. I need to go." Yugi took a breath and nodded.

"It's a good thing I have a couple hundred saved from tournaments. I'll call the gang so you can meet them. We can make this one big get together, and then we'll go." He said.

"Really? Thanks Yugi!" Rhia jumped up and hugged him. He blushed and both Atem and Rehkyt chuckled.

Atem murmured, "Young love." Yugi and Rhia heard that and glared living death at him. Atem only smirked. A minute passed before Rhia spoke up.

"I'll clear the table."

"I'll call everyone." Yugi said as Rhia collected the plates.

"Yugi," Rhia called from the kitchen. "Should I leave something out for your Jii-chan?"

"Nah, he'll get something later."

As Yugi walked to the phone in the front, he could hear plates clanking together as she placed them in the sink to soak. He dialed Joey's number first.

"'_Ello?"_

"_Hi Joey! It's Yugi."_

"_Wuzzup Yuge?"_

"_Could you come over? There's someone I want you to meet. And prepare for a day of clothes shopping at the mall."_

"_Shopping?" _Joey groaned.

"_Just come over. Call Tristan too."_

"_Yeah, yeah, see ya, Yuge."_

"_Bye Joey!"_

Yugi hung up, then dialed Tea.

"_Moshi Moshi. Gardner residence."_

"_Hello Mrs. Gardner, it's Yugi. May I speak to Tea?"_

"_Sure Yugi. Wait a minute, please."_

"_Hey Yugi! What's up?"_ Tea's voice rang through the speaker.

"_Do you want to go to the mall today?"_

"_Yeah, sure. But why are you asking me?"_

"_Come over here first. It's a long story."_

"_Okay, I'll be there in a minute."_

"_Bye Tea!"_

**Click.**

"Rhia! They're on the way now." Yugi yelled into the kitchen.

"Already?" Rhia squeaked.

_Why are you so nervous_> Rehkyt asked curiously.

_I'm normally a shy person. At school, I was often in the corner, not talking to anyone.>>_

_But they're Yugi's friends. If he trusts them, you should too.>_

_Yeah, but you don't know the whole story.>>_

In Rhia's soul room, both Rehkyt and Rhia appeared. Rhia had a seriously grim look on her face.

_I'll tell you the difference.>>_

After Rhia explained, Rehkyt was shocked, but was handling it well. Rhia had a frown on her face but replaced it with a smile when Yugi walked into the kitchen.

"You ready to go?" He asked.

"Yeah." Rhia nodded, then paused to think a minute. "They're here already?"

"Uh-huh. C'mon, I can't wait till you meet them!" Yugi said excitedly. He then grabbed Rhia by the wrist and literally dragged her out the door.

"Yugi! I don't want to be dragged out the door like a sack of potatoes, let GO!" But Yugi didn't listen. The yamis just laughed. "Yugi! Let-OH! Uh…hi." Yugi had dragged Rhia out the door and right in front of Tea, Joey, Tristan, and surprisingly, Ryou.

"Guys, meet Rhia. Rhia, meet Joey, Tea, Tristan, and…Ryou?" Yugi said, happy to see his friends, but surprised to see Ryou. "What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Oh, I was just walking along and I saw Tea. She invited me."Ryou answered in his British accent. Yugi nodded.

"Hi." Rhia mumbled to the ground. A huge bout of shyness had hit her.

"Yuge, why'd ya call us over? Ya said somethin' about shoppin'." Joey said, he hoped Yugi would explain things a bit.

"Well, Rhia appeared here yesterday on my doorstep. Literally. She was unconscious." Gasps come from Tea and Ryou. "When she woke up, Jii-chan recognized her and told her that she had been kidnapped." Sadness formed in Tea's eyes, but confusion was the main idea with everyone else.

"Yugi, I, I'll tale it from here." Rhia said, and placed a hand on Yugi's shoulder. She then took a deep breath, and tried to find the courage to start talking. "Yugi's Jii-chan said that my real parents were Keiko and Shinji Harada. They died a little after my kidnapping. I got upset after that, and Yugi helped me through it. I told him a little about myself, and he told me a little about him. And, things progressed to where he told me about the Millennium Items."

"So, you know that they're magical." Ryou asked, but was put more as a statement.

"Yeah, but I know a lot more than that. I'm surprised you haven't seen what's around my neck yet." Rhia said, and grinned. They looked, and gasped. Ryou was amazed. How could she have been chosen for the Millennium Tauk? Meanwhile, Rehkyt glared at Ryou's Ring.

_I sense the thief.>_

_I know. But he's not in control, so don't worry so much.>>_

_Aa. But stay on your guard.>_

_Okay.>>_

"Ya still haven't told us why ya called us over. Not that I'm complainin' or anything." Joey said, still wondering why he was at Yugi's house if all the information he was getting could've been told to him over the phone. Tea then spoke up.

"Wait, let me guess. You need clothes. The only things you have are what you're wearing, am I right?" Rhia nodded. "How much do you have?" Tea asked.

"Yugi is lending me $200." Rhia then turns to Yugi, her face all seriousness. "I'm gonna pay you back, Yugi."

"You don't have to. That's what friends are for." He grinned. Rhia's eyes went straight up and her breath caught. _'Friends.'_ Rhia shook away the emotion and crossed her arms.

"Doesn't matter. I still want to pay you back."

In a nice teen clothing store, Tea had been trying to persuade Rhia to try something on.

"Tea, do I have to?" Rhia whined.

"Yes! Now go on. It will look nice on you." Tea pushed Rhia into the stall so she could try on the T-shirt.

"Fine." Rhia grumbled and walked in. For five minutes Tea had been waiting. She tapped her foot impatiently against the laminated floor.

"Rhia! C'mon, it can't be that bad." Tea mused, annoyed that Rhia was taking so long.

"Yes, it is! I'm not coming out until you say I don't have to show off this shirt!" It revealed too much of her back. Too many of the scars showed…

"Fine, you don't have to show me. I'll go find another shirt." Tea finally agreed, too exasperated to continue arguing.

"Thanks." Rhia said in relief.

A couple hours later, the group had finished shopping and was headed toward the food court. Joey had complained of hunger. Tristan smirked, "Dude, you're always hungry." Everyone was eating when it happened. Yells emanated from the crowd.

"Stop, thief!" Someone yelled. Next thing that happened was a blur of long black hair and a gray shirt ran by. The security guard tried to follow but was left in the dust. Rhia got up.

"We should go after her." Rhia said. Bakura then sneered, the look on his face not so docile anymore.

"Why? So she can get arrested?"It seemed the Tomb Robber had taken over. A _strong_ wave of hate that came from Rehkyt washed over Rhia.

"No." Yugi shook his head. "She only stole food. She's trying to keep from starving. I say we pay for whatever she took." Everyone nodded in agreement - Bakura reluctantly.

"Bakura, Tristan and I will go pay for the food, while you guys go find the girl." Yugi said, and the group split up. Rhia, Tea, and Joey went after the female thief, while Yugi, Bakura, and Tristan tried to make an excuse for why she ran without paying for the food.

_Rhia! Stop! Don't leave Atem with Bakura! He's a backstabber!>_

_Rehkyt, stop worrying. He knew Bakura had switched, and he didn't do a thing. There's nothing to worry about.>>_

_Yeah, yeah.> _Rehkyt wasn't happy and she slammed the door to her soul room.

"I think we should split up." Joey said, using his head for once, and snapping Rhia out of her talk with Rehkyt.

"Right. I'll head for the East entrance, Joey can head for the West, and Rhia, you can take the area near the restrooms." Tea delegated. Everyone agreed, though Rhia wasn't happy about having to head toward the _bathrooms._ All ran off to their areas.

_Rehkyt.>>_ Rhia stopped so she could talk to her yami without running into anything.

_Yeah?>_

_Can you use the Millennium Tauk to find our food thief?>>_

_Huh?>_

_Think about it, where was the thief five seconds ago? That completely fits in with the Tauk's abilities.>>_

_Oh, okay, I'll try it. But you have to let me take over.>_

_Right.>>_ Rhia let Rehkyt immediately take over.

_**Vision **_

_**A black haired girl in a gray T-shirt opened a stall door, went in and locked it. She then opens her bag and pulls out a burger.**_

_**End Vision**_

_She's in the restroom. And she's eating already.>_

_Okay, thanks.>>_

_No problem.>_ Rhia took over again and ran at top speed to the restroom. To passerby, she looked like she really had to go. When Rhia got into the restrooms, the thief was already leaving. They made eye contact. What Rhia saw made Rehkyt gasp.

_Lamia.>_

_

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_

Wow, this document is exactly 2020words long. Review!


	8. Scars

Finally! Chap 8 of Ghost Friends is up! Thank you very much to **WildEm**for betaing while **Hedwig the MillenniumOwl** is away on vacation(I think). Thanks also to **Anime WarriorSkye** too. Just to let you know, if it seems a different style of writing comes in after the second half of this chap, that's because it is. **WildEm** wrote most of that one. There is the credit that she most honestly deserves. I'm still looking for a different title to this fic. I got one from **Valinor's Twilight, **and it's _"Illusory Love". _I'm not sure I spelled that right. Any other ideas? Anyone? Credit for reviews go to...

**Thomas Drovin, Divine Crimson Rose, Golden Lily Dew, WildEm, Valinor's Twilight, **and**16forever.** Plushies, cookies, and gift cards to ALL! Enjoy!

Disclaimer, I don't own this. I would think you people would know this by now. Please stop acting stupid._

* * *

_

_Rhia to Rehkyt >>_

_Rehkyt to Rhia >_

* * *

Chapter 8

Scars

_Who?>> _Rhia asked confusedly, not taking her eyes off the thief, who, Rehkyt rather frighteningly, seemed to think was 'Lamia'.

_Lamia…my daughter. >_

_Daughter…whoa... You had a daughter! ... ... You coulda told me! Okay, well, just explain later. We're weirding her out as it is!>> _

Rhia spoke softly to the girl, not wanting to scare her away.

"Hey, I saw your stunt down in the food court." she said, as if she had known the girl her entire life.

The thief's eyes widened.

"You're not gonna take me in, are ya?" she blurted warily.

Rhia smiled softly to the girl.

"No. I just want you to know, you didn't have to steal that food. If you had asked someone, they would have given it to you."

"But I don't want to go to a shelter. Or an orphanage. That's what would happen if I asked around." said the young thief determinedly. Although she didn't look older than 11, she was certainly no pushover, and tried to get past Rhia, but with no luck. Rhia thought for a minute, then spoke again.

"Do you know where the Kame game shop is?" The girl nodded. "Whenever you get so hungry that you have to steal, go by there first. Mention you know Rhia, and you'll get food." The girl nodded again, in affirmation. "By the way, what's your name?" Rhia asked.

_Why are you asking her name? We know it already, it's Lamia. >_

_Rehkyt, she's obviously a reincarnation. Her name could be different.>> _Rehkyt shut up.

The girl took a breath, and opened her mouth.

"Lamia." Lamia then artfully managed to get around Rhia, and out of the door, clearly she wouldn't be coming back any time soon.

Half an hour later, the group met back up at the food court.

"We got them to believe us, barely." Ryou said. It seemed he and Bakura had switched again.

"Whaddya use as an excuse?" Joey asked, curious.

"We said it was a dare." Tristan answered seriously. "Wow, I can't believe that worked." Téa quipped, amazed.

"So, were our lies worth it? Did you catch her?" Yugi asked the question no one but Rhia knew the answer to. Tea and Joey shook their heads. Everyone's gaze turned to Rhia. She flinched and took a few steps back.

"Her name is Lamia. She only steals food because she doesn't want to go into a shelter." Joey nodded in sympathetic understanding. "She got away from me, but I think we'll see her again in the near future." Rhia said, confident in her analysis.

"What did she look like?" Ryou asked.

"She had straight black hair that hid the one side of her face, kinda like an emo style, and her eyes, one was purple and the other was green. I think she was about 11, but she acted older."

* * *

Everyone went home in their separate ways, but until it was just Yugi, Rhia, and the Yamis, Rhia stayed a few steps behind the group, needing some space to think. When they got home, Yugi had to watch the shop, so Rhia spent the rest of the day organizing her room how she liked it. Soon, it was time for bed. Yugi and his Jii-chan said goodnight. Atem and Rehkyt were going into the living room to 'catch up.' Yugi heard Rhia snort, "More like make out." 

It was more than likely.

Rhia went to sleep right away, being exhausted from shopping. Her dreams weren't so easy, though.

_

* * *

Dream _

Rhia found herself standing in the middle of a deserted somewhere. Where, she couldn't tell for darkness. It was like there was a spotlight on her, but again, the source of the light was nowhere to be seen. She brought her hands to her upper arms. It was freezing. Her breath was easily visible on the unmoving air. She was frightened; the feeling that she had been here before crept up her spine and seemed to settle on the back of her neck. Looking up, she saw several figures emerge from the darkness, with familiar, and yet emotionless faces.

Téa, Joey, Tristan, and Ryou stood in a circle around Rhia, glaring at her with hateful eyes and expressions of disgust upon their faces. Then, it all came at once:

"You didn't pay him back!" Téa yelled.

"You're a thief!"(1) Ryou sneered.

"Give us all our cash now!" Tristan commanded.

"Hand. It. Over!" Joey said, his voice deadly. Then, they stopped. And a ruthless silence hit her ears. Yugi came forward. Kind, compassionate Yugi. He just grimaced and shook his head at Rhia, who was now scared beyond belief, and turned his back and stepped backwards into the circle. Soon, Téa's, and everybody else's forms began to change. That's when Rhia really started to get scared. She curled up into a ball, and started to shake. She knew what was happening. She knew this dream. She had lived it. But why now? The now different people took out chains, whips, and red-hot wires to Rhia's back. She screamed in agony.

_End Dream

* * *

_

In the living room with Atem, Rehkyt, suddenly felt a scream echoing in her inner ear, and then pain exploded on her back and ebbed through her. She could sense Rhia's pain and fear easily as well as Rhia.

"Ahh!" Rehkyt hissed in pain. Atem was taken by surprise.

"What?"

"It's Rhia. She's having a nightmare. A painful one."

"Go wake her." Atem suggested urgently.

"I can't. The mind link is somehow closed off." Rehkyt hissed as she felt more pain from Rhia. "Never mind, it's not the only way."

"I'll get Yugi." Atem rushed off to wake Yugi.

The Yamis got upstairs, and Rhia's screams were quite audible now. Atem was quick. Five seconds later Yugi was up and headed towards Rhia's room. Yugi shook Rhia awake. Her eyes snapped open, and she slightly flinched in fear as she still thought she was in her dream. Then she started to cry.

"No. I'll pay ya back. Just gimme time. Gimme time!" Rhia wimpered, hiding what she could of her face in her shoulder, and what she couldn't with her arm.

_Rhia, it's ok. No one here will hurt you.> _

_Rehkyt? God, oh God. It hurts so much. Make it stop. >>_

_Shh…It's okay. It's over.> _

Next to Rhia's bed, Yugi and Atem watched Rehkyt comfort Rhia. They turned to leave.

"No. Don't go. Rhia…has to tell you something." Rehkyt asked, still holding Rhia. Rhia took a few breaths, trying to calm herself enough to talk.

"I have a few issues with the meaning of 'friends'." She began. "I was tortured a few years back. Not raped, or anything like that, just tortured. I had been blackmailed into paying off someone else's debt. I was unable to pay it in time. My own friends had tricked me to an unused storehouse. There, I was beaten. I…" She trailed off, unable to finish.

"She still has the scars to show for it." Rehkyt finished quietly. The ancient queen was grim on how her hikari had been treated previously. Without warning, Rhia turned over onto her stomach and pushed up her shirt so all could see her uncovered back. It wasn't pretty. The scars were a pale white against Rhia's creamy skin. And they were everywhere. Both Yugi and Atem gasped at the sight. Rhia then rolled her shirt back down.

"Do you see? Do you see why I was always at the edge of the group? I was afraid." Rhia then stopped talking and sat up in bed. She started rocking herself and crying. Rehkyt sat down on Rhia's left and Yugi on her right.

"We won't betray you Rhia. We never will. I promise." Yugi comforted. Rhia nodded, but the tears continued to flow.

"G'night guys. I'll see you tomorrow, okay? It's late." Rehkyt said. And it was. Rehkyt intended to talk to Rhia, yami to hikari. Yugi left, and Atem soon after.

_Rhia, you can trust Yugi's friends. We've had this conversation before.> _Rehkyt said, phasing into Rhia's soul room.

_I had trusted my **friends **before, and they betrayed that.>> _

_That's because they **weren't** your friends! Joey, Tristan, Téa, and Ryou are! That's what you have now! That's why you were brought here to this world in the first place! Friends do not betray you! >_

_I guess…>> _

_Alright. You ready to get some proper sleep now? >_

_Yeah. But Rehkyt, will you stay with me until I'm asleep?>> _

_Yes. >_

Rhia laid down in the bed that appeared in her soul room, already being in bed in the real world. Rehkyt sat down next to her. It was the exact same position she would get in when Lamia couldn't sleep. She began to hum the tune to Lamia's favorite lullaby, and hoped it would be the same with Rhia.

_Sweet child don't worry,_

_Ra shall soon come._

_Sound is our home, _

_Sound is our loom._

_Osirus shall keep, _

_Set's minions at bay._

_So, please, sweet child,_

_Let your worries lay.> _

Rhia, at last, was sound asleep, physically and spiritually. Now Rehkyt could sleep. Well, as much as a yami did, anyway. Rehkyt walked into the corridor between soul rooms and softly shut the door to Rhia's. She sighed.

'_She may be my reincarnation, but she acts more like Lamia.'_ Sighing again, she walked into her own soul room, and silently shut the door behind her.

Rehkyt's soul room looked more like her chambers in Ancient Egypt. A four poster bed facing the perfect spot for a window. Shelves full of scrolls lined the walls. A desk stood near the bed. On it, were blank scrolls and a brush. Perfect for making records, as Rehkyt often would, well, just because she was once Queen never meant that she didn't do anything for Egypt, although it never scratched the surface of what her brave husband had done. However, Rehkyt didn't head for the desk. Instead, she went for the scrolls on the far side of the room. Browsing for a moment, she saw the one she wanted, pulled it out and blew the dust off it.

'_Atem may have regained his memories, but he doesn't have all of them. Why Ra, why? Why didn't you let your wayward son have his past life back? He barely remembers me. All he knows is the last few days(2)of his reign. He thinks it was all turmoil, all he did during that time was fight Bakura. Hmph…Bakura. How ironic. His name means soul and spirit of Ra. _

_It's sad. Atem does not know his reign was one of peace. Ra, why do you deprive your son so? He has served you humbly, made the largest of sacrifices, and does not complain. He even revoked the afterlife for you. Brought back to live again in a foreign world to prevent history from repeating itself! And for what? Whatever the reason, it shall not last for long. I shall tell the tale. He deserves the truth.'_

_

* * *

Rhia's Dream _

_'Oh no...' Rhia thought, she was back in her dream from before. It was dark and cold, but the figures hadn't emerged yet. _

_But she knew they would._

_She huddled in the ball, waiting for it to happen._

_"Rehkyt?... REHKYT HELP ME!" she screamed into the ignorant darkness, but she seemed to have lost all contact with her yami. _

_"Please help me..." she sobbed into her knees, her face stained with tears, her voice shaking uncontrollably. _

_"Look up..." a strange voice whispered, "Look up..."_

_At first Rhia thought it was her broken mind playing tricks on her, but, then after hearing it flowing over the wind a few more times, she realised that it wasn't. She saw her shadow appear on the ground below her feet, knowing that it was the spotlight effect again, but this time, it was warmer, happier somehow._

_"Rhia..." the voice was talking now, no longer whispering. It was masculine, strong, deep, but warm and inviting at the same time, "Rhia..."_

_Rhia looked up to the light, seeing a figure. So close, yet so distant. She put her hand up in hope that they might take it._

_"Rhia, fight, you must." it said. As Rhia came more accustomed to the bright light, she could see the figure in more detail. He was familar, very familiar, but she was certain she didn't know him. Maybe Rehkyt had known him. He was very tall, 6ft4, and elegant. And, quite obviously, an Ancient Egyptian, judging from his tanned skin and regal attire, and he had the queerest blue eyes. But the strangest about him were that white and silvery wings that came from the centre of his back. _

_An Angel._

_"Who... who are you?" she asked, frightened that his form would too change._

_"A friend." he said, his voice echoing slightly, on account of them being in Rhia's dream world. Rhia took several steps backward at hearing this. She wouldn't make the same mistake twice. "Come." he said, taking her hand, "The Light has awoken in you."_

_She felt her feet leave the ground and her slender form straighened out. Her head span, and then, he dropped her. She cried out in anguish, hit the floor, and felt nothing more._

_End Dream_

_

* * *

_

"Rhia? ... ... Rhia?" Rehkyt asked in concern, mopping her hikari's face with a cold flannel. She saw Rhia's head jerk to the side in reaction to the water, and shook her by the shoulder gently. Rhia's eyes snapped open and every muscle in her face tensed. When she saw Rehkyt she relaxed, and rubbed her eyes.

"Rehkyt, what's happening to me?"

"I don't know. What did you see?"

"It was the same as last time, and then, there was an Angel..."

"An Angel?"

"He told me that 'the Light had awoken in me', and left me, but I think he pulled me out of the dream."

"This Angel, what did he look like?" Atem asked suspiciously, with a deciphering look on his face.

"Uh, well, he had kinda silvery wings, Ancient Egyptian, blue eyes, he was wearing a blue tunic, and the rest of his clothes were white."

"Lemme guess; very tall, elegant, strong?"

"Uh, well, yeah I guess." she answered, both she and her yami watching the pharaoh's brain cogs turning. "You know him or something?"

"Yes." said Atem seriously, "And I must speak with him. Immediatly."

"So, you were a High Priest?" asked Yugi, looking at the tall figure who's presence graced theirs.

"And since when were you an Angel?" asked Atem with his arms folded.

"You were under the impression that I betrayed you." he said coolly, "I know. And in due course I must argue my case, but that can wait..."

"Can we get back to the 'why are you an Angel?' bit please?" asked Rhia, who felt utterly dwarfed by the man, who, although he was just six months older than Atem, acted decades older. At least with Atem you felt that you could perhaps talk with him. With this man you barely dared speak. It was easy to tell from his entire demeanour that he was certainly no mortal. He sighed, as if he had all the time in the world;

"You did not know. I was always an Angel. Your protector. From the very day I was born. No, I was never dead." he said, reading the puzzled pharaoh's face. Angel's were especially good, dead spirits, who rose to 'Grace', and protected and guided mortals and sorcerers alike.

"How!... But... That's impossible!" he exclaimed, his eyes wide.

"No," said Seto "It is not. It is unknown why, but I was born with Angelic powers. But Angels are bound never to reveal themselves."

Seto's eyes seemingly bore holes in everything they rested upon.

"You never acted like an Angel." said Atem apprehensively.

"Hm." he smirked, "Just because I'm an Angel, doesn't mean I can't kick some arse" he said. Atem nodded in agreement. "But that is not so important."

Without warning, a bright light surrounded his wings, and they disappeared in a flash, making everybody jump.

"Then, what is?" asked Rehykt.

"You have just come into more danger than you can imagine." he said, magic tinging his voice.

"From who? Who is dangerous?" asked Yugi hurriedly. Seto maintained his cool disposition, and again, with no indication whatsoever, turned his head and looked directly at Rhia.

"Her."

* * *

(1)I thought it was ironic, Ryou calling someone a thief, when he himself has a thief for a yami. 

(2) How long exactly was Atemu in the memory world? I can't tell.

* * *

WildEm has this HUGE obbession with Seto and Charmed(I don't own!). That's why he suddenly popped up. She wrote that part. But it's a good idea, and it helps the plot along, so i'm keeping it. Hope you liked this chap. Please review. I'm soooo tired of going to my stats page and seeing tons of views to this fic, but so few reviews in comparison. Thanks!

Isis the Sphinx

REVIEW!


	9. School Duel

I hit chapter nine already! Thanks to **Hedwig the MillenniumOwl** and **WildEm** for Beta-ing. Thanks to **Anime WarriorSkye** for supporting me to get this done.

Thank you **Illidan the Half Demon**! He's the one that wrote the duel in this chapter. if you think this duel was good, go read the fic he has. Almost every chapter has a duel. Warning: it's about 129 chapters long right now and still going.

Thanks to... **Hedwig the MillenniumOwl**, **animeluver911**, **MysticChaos**(big, BIG help. Thankyou!), **Valinor's Twilight**, **Angel's Nocturne**, **FearieFighting101**, **Divine Crimson Rose**, **flamescythe**, **Thomas Drovin**, **White Dragon Girl**, **Mysticdragon1691**, **Wild Em**, **Golden Lily Dew**, and **16forever **for reviewing. I don't think this fic would still be here if you guys didn't review. Thankyou _**SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**_ much! Plushies of your choice to all! Oh! 39 reviews! thankyou!

Just to let ya'll know, August 7th(today, the day i am updating) is my BIRTHDAY!

* * *

Chapter Nine

School Duel

_:Rhia to Rehkyt: _

_-:Rehkyt to Rhia:- _

((Yugi to Atem))

(Atem to Yugi)

* * *

"What?" Rehkyt spat in disbelief. 

"Yes. Her. You heard me." Seto said again, his calm mask not slipping.

Rhia felt as if her stomach had dropped to her feet. Her esteem likewise. How could she be the great danger?

"No. No. I can't be the danger. I don't want to hurt anyone... No one likes me as it is already! Me being the danger would make them hate me! You LIAR!" Rhia backed up into the furthest corner of the room, sat down and curled up into a ball. The only detectable change in Seto's face was a small frown. Yugi guessed that maybe he was used to reactions like that.

"Rhia," Yugi said, walking up to her. "You do have friends. I'm your friend, Atem's your friend, Rehkyt's your friend, and so is everyone else." He tried to touch Rhia on her shoulder, to reassure her, but a weird kind of static electricity shocked his hand in mid-air. An opalescent shield surrounded her.

"That is one of her powers," Rehkyt and Atem whipped around to face where Seto was still standing, still his expression remained constant, like the fate of the world depended on what he was telling them. Yugi was still trying to comfort Rhia. "A Light shield. Nothing can penetrate it. Although she is only a danger if her powers go untrained. Rehkyt, you can train her."

"But I don't remember being able to do this." Rehkyt was perplexed, to say the least. Seto explained, almost annoyed at her lack of remembrance, but it was out of boredom, not spite. After you give a few thousand people the 'oh-and-by-the-way-magic-exists' speech a few thousand times, it does tend to get a little tedious, and Rehkyt's was the classic reaction.

"The powers of Light are what you used to wield. Do you remember?" Seto asked. Rehkyt closed her eyes. All the blanks in her memory were coming back oddly fast, falling into place like a complicated jigsaw.

"Before I died, I made sure my powers would be passed on to my reincarnation." She smiled, and walked towards her hikari.

"It's okay Rhia. You don't do it on purpose. I can train you to control your power. Let down the shield."

Rhia looked up at Rehkyt, her eyes red from the tears of fear she had shed. At Rehkyt's and Yugi's kind faces, the shield came down.

"You have been warned. Now, to have a _talk _with _my_ reincarnation." said Seto, smiling to himself and nodding, as if to say; 'this-is-going-to-be-interesting,-difficult,-and fun', and with that, he left in a flash of light. Rhia jumped, nearly putting up the shield again and Atem wondered what Seto had meant by _'talk'_. Seto had many definitions for the word 'talk'; ranging from 'liaising' talk, to 'brutal-torture-get-thrown-into-the-depths-of-Purgatory' talk. If he was right, then Kaiba was in for one Hell of a nightmare...

"He scares me." said Rhia nervously, staring at the empty patch of floor where the young man had stood.

"Yes. He does that." Atem reassured, "He's not that bad really." He folded his arms and then took on a more business-like tone, "But I am going to have to talk to him about this Angel thing."

"Actually..." said Rehkyt, "I do remember him having some kind of strange power, something none of the other priests had. Something powerful. I didn't bother telling you..." she turned to Atem, who raised an eyebrow out of curiosity, "Because I thought you probably already knew, and it was nothing out of the ordinary anyway. I must have been wrong. I agree with you though, he never acted like the little Angel." Atem nodded, "It's always who you least expect, wings and all. We could do with some straight answers from him."

"I think old Seto is a little beyond giving straight answers." said Atem jokingly, and Rehkyt smiled, trying not to grin. The term 'old married couple' came to mind...

"Uuuuhhh... Guys..." said Yugi, turning a disturbing shade of pale, his eyes feverishly wide. They all turned to him and he crumpled his brow as if he were trying to see something in the distance.

"What is it Aibou?" asked Atem, worried about his hikari's sudden state of shock.

"You know Rehkyt had Light powers, and so Rhia also has Light powers..."

"Yeah."

"Well... If... If, Priest Seto is, you know, an Angel... Does that mean... that Kaiba is as well?"

* * *

Because of last night's nightmare, Rhia slept in, and Yugi was charged with breakfast. 

((I wonder if Rhia is feeling alright. Last night's discussion was rough on her.)) he projected to Atem, no longer so concerned about Kaiba, but more with Rhia.

(I think she'll be fine, Yugi. She's tougher than most people.)

((Yeah, most people would've cracked by now.))

At 11am, Rhia still hadn't come down.

((I'm worrying about Rhia. I haven't heard or seen hide nor hair of her since last night. What do you think, Atem?))

(She could possibly still be sleeping. I have no idea if she's morning person or not yet. If she's anything like Rehkyt, she's no morning person.)

((What teenage girl _is_ a morning person? But still, would she sleep _this_ late?))

(I don't know. It depends on when she got to sleep after we left.)

((Well, I'm going to check on her, see if everything's alright.))

(I suggest you knock first.) Yugi gave Atem a look that said; I-was-going-to-do-that-anyway-why-are-you-reminding-me? (I once barged in on Rehkyt without knocking before we were married. She sent me into next week with her slaps.)

((Ouch.)) But Yugi couldn't help but chuckle.

(_Ouch_ is an understatement Aibou.) Atem obviously was a little peeved at the chuckling, which turned into mental laughter at his last comment.

Yugi walked up to Rhia's room and knocked on the door.

"Rhia? It's Yugi. Can I come in?" He asked.

"Sure." Was the faint reply from the other side of the door.

When he walked in, he saw Rhia flicking through a deck with a smile on her face. Rehkyt, in spirit form, was looking over her shoulder with curious eyes.

"Is that a Duel Monsters deck?" Yugi asked, curious also. Rhia nodded.

"Sure." She handed the deck to him. He immediately started to look through it. Atem appeared in spirit form as well and looked with Yugi. The first cards they saw were; Cyber Harpy Lady(1), Giant soldier of Stone(2), and Hammer Shot(3).

"What theme do you have?" Atem asked, wondering. Rhia though for a minute before she answered.

"Well, the majority of the monsters are Winged-Beasts and Dragons. But the Magic and Trap cards lean more towards a burn theme. I've always liked the idea of bypassing the opponents monsters and heading straight for their Life Points."

"It's a good deck. It could do well. But how did you get it?" Yugi looked up at Rhia and gave her back her deck.

"I was folding my skirt. Y'know, the one that I was wearing when I got here. Anyways, I was folding it when I saw a pocket. Inside was my deck." She said. "But I think it could be improved."

"We can get some cards to boost your deck later. But first we have to get your uniform." Yugi said. Rhia immediately replied,

"Yeah, sure." But then she stopped and thought about what Yugi said, "Wait a minute, what uniform?" Yugi shrugged.

"Your uniform for school. You're coming to Domino High."

Rhia screamed. "**_Uniforms!_**" Some birds in the alley outside flew away from the resulting noise.

* * *

The trip to the school office to get the uniform was less than pleasant.Rhia glared darkly at anything and everyone that they came across. Her powers flared at every angry thought. Rehkyt often had to remind her to calm down. She also grumbled and mumbled the whole way. The mumbling consisted of, "Uniforms…how dare they! Hate'em…Never had to wear them in America!" Rhia reluctantly told them what size she was. She really didn't want that uniform. Yugi was flustered. He tried to show her the benefits of a uniform. Unfortunately, there weren't many. 

Rhia's mood lightened on the way back to the game shop. She seemed resigned to her fate.

"Hey, it's not that bad in comparison." said Yugi comfortingly, "In England, they have to wear grey tights, and the skirts have to be knee-length. They have to wear ties in winter too. Never did understand those Brits... Hey why don't you try it on?" he suggested. She shot him a death glare, wondering how he knew what girls in England wore anyway. But she sure as Hell is red wasn't some English girl. She _really _didn't want to wear that _thing_. Yugi wasn't perturbed. He was used to Kaiba, after all. He pleaded;

"Pwease?" He also turned up the puppy-dog-pout to 100. It was working.

'_No. No. It won't work. But, he's sooo cute like that. Fine. Kuso. At least there aren't any grey tights...' _

"Fine." Yugi grinned.

_-:It's better to check now. You don't want to be stuck tomorrow morning with a uniform that doesn't fit.:- _Rehkyt said through the mind link. She was thoroughly amused with Rhia's stubbornness and was having a hard time disguising her chuckles.

_:Yeah, yeah.: _Rhia grumbled, already in her room and peeling off her shirt.

A few minutes later, she was completely dressed.

_:The skirt's too damn short(4).: _She grumbled through her mind link. She was trying to lengthen it by pulling down as far as the waistband would allow.

_-:I think you look fine.:- _Rehkyt countered, appearing in front of Rhia, looking her over.

_-:Go on, show Yugi.:- _

_:Don't want to.: _Rhia pouted. She knew it was useless, though. She scowled, and went to find Yugi.

She found him in the game shop part of the house. He wasn't alone. Joey was there as well. Rhia "eeped" and turned to hide. But it was too late. She was seen.

"Hey Rhia!" Joey greeted. "I didn't know ya were comin' ta Domino too."

"Yeah, well, I kinda just found out this morning." She mumbled, finding her feet very interesting. Her shyness was taking over again. Yugi, on the other hand, was speechless.

The skirt showed off the nice shape of her legs. The pink blouse complimented Rhia's natural color tones and natural curves.

((Wow.)) Yugi said through the mind link. Atem only smirked.

"You look…nice." He finally uttered.

"Really?" Rhia immediately brightened. "I thought it made me look fat. But that's just me." Joey spoke up.

"Ya look great, Rhia." Rhia smiled. Yugi remembered why they were there in the first place.

"Now, let's see what we can do for your deck."

* * *

Tomorrow came, and Yugi and Rhia found themselves walking to Domino High. 

"What does your schedule say?" Yugi asked. They had received her schedule at the same time as her uniform. Rhia looked down at the small paper she held.

"Eh…first period is English(5) with Sorachi-sensei.(6)" Yugi's eyebrows rose.

"That's the English class with Kaiba. And Kaiba's one of the few that can keep up with that level of English. Are you really that good?"

"That's what my 105 in AP Lit in America said." She said, as they arrived at the school. Yugi showed her to the classroom and introduced her to the teacher.

"Ah, so you're the new student. Thank you Mutou, you may leave." Yugi left after a quick smile to Rhia. "Class, we have a new student. Rhiannon Harada. Why don't you tell us a bit about yourself?" Rhia turned to face the class. She immediately spotted Kaiba. The icy, blue-eyed brunette that looked so much like Priest Seto.

"I play a bit of Duel Monsters," Kaiba's head picked up a bit at that fact. "I like to read and I don't like to be bothered." Rhia said this all quite fast. The teacher nodded when he realized she was done.

"Why don't you sit next to Kaiba." Both concerned peoples' eyebrows rose at that. Rhia recovered first and took her seat. Class started. The assignment was to write a poem, any type, about anything. It just had to be finished in twenty minutes. Kaiba finished 5 minutes early, and Rhia finished on the buzzer.

"Ok, because I feel nice today, we won't have to do anymore work if you let me read these out loud." The teacher proposed. "All who agree, raise your hands." All but Kaiba did. "Oppose?" No one. "Don't care?" Kaiba did. "Ok, these will be read in alphabetical order. Harada, you're first." And he began.

" '_Who can say I am who you think I am?_

_At first I am docile, the lamb._

_But one wrong move and I strike._

_I become the wolf, ready to fight._

_This is all a façade._

_I cannot become what I truly want to be._

_The falcon, soaring, ever free.'" (7)_

The teacher was shocked, the class was shocked, and Kaiba was paying attention.

"This is Kaiba's."

" '_Friends, fun, nonsense, _

_All that is forbidden,_

_To keep a company afloat._

_I see a boy and his friends,_

_(or should I say, a dork squad?)_

_Have all the fun._

_Behind my icy facade,_

_Of anger, spite, and pride,_

_I'm as soft as anyone,_

_And yet, only one knows._

_I want to have friends,_

_But for a CEO like me,_

_All that is forbidden.'" (8)_

All was silent. Pins were heard dropping. Kaiba sent everyone a glare that said, 'If this leaves this room, you will suffer.'

The readings continued, but none seemed to be as good as Kaiba's or Rhia's. English ended, and period two came. It was algebra 2 merit with data analysis. Tea was in the class with Rhia. Things went smoothly, and Rhia quickly caught up. Next was lunch(9). Surprisingly, Yugi and Yugi-tachi had the same shift as Rhia, and Kaiba. A little into the break, Kaiba walked over and tapped Rhia on the shoulder. Rhia was sitting with Yugi and his tachi, and they all looked up at once.

"You said you dueled in English." He pulled out his deck. "I challenge you to a duel here and now."

Rhia was taken aback by this sudden challenge, but nodded in agreement anyway. Pulling out her deck, she remembered how he dueled in Battle City. Yugi and Atem still didn't realize that the world she was from thought that this was a manga. Rhia had an advantage over Kaiba that he thought no one would have.

'_He likes dragons. He_ _REALLY likes dragons. Tons of High-level monsters. He's not ready for a burn deck. To my knowledge, he's never gone up against one. This ought to be fun.'_

_-:Rhia, do you want me to help you out a bit:- _Rhia almost broke her poker face at that.

_:What! No way! That's no fair to him. I already have the advantage of what his deck is like. You can watch, but no hints.: _

The five cards were drawn, and the duel began.

"Duel!"

After drawing their first five the cards, Seto kindly said "You can begin this duel if you like."

Nodding, Rhia drew her sixth card and scanned over them. After a moment, she finally said "I'll summon Birdface (1600/1600) in attack mode. Next, I'll place one card face down. That does it for me." (Rhia 4000, Seto 4000)

Drawing his sixth card, Seto slightly smiled and said "Very well, I'll summon my Kaiser Sea Horse (1700/1650) in attack mode. Now Kaiser Sea Horse shall attack your weaker Birdface!"

With a simple sigh, Rhia picked up her defeated monster and placed it in the Graveyard zone, but then smirked. "Thanks for that attack. I needed you to attack so I could activate Birdface's effect. When destroyed and sent to the Graveyard due to battle, I get to move one 'Harpie Lady' from my deck to my hand, so I'll pick Cyber Harpie Lady to add to my hand."

As she picked up her deck, Seto said "Wait, how can you add Cyber Harpie Lady to your hand? The effect says Harpie Lady, not Cyber Harpie Lady."

Smiling, Rhia dug through her deck and then showed Seto the Cyber Harpie Lady card. On it, he read her effect was that the card is treated as 'Harpie Lady.' She then proceeded to shuffle her deck and place it back down in it's zone.

"Ah, I see. Very clever Rhia, but it won't defeat me. I now place two cards face down, and end my turn." (Rhia 3900, Seto 4000)

Nodding, Rhia then drew and smiled. She then looked back up and said "Prepare yourself for a rough time Seto. I now play the field card Harpie's Hunting Ground! This field card raises the attack and defense points of all Winged Beast-Type monsters by 200, plus when I summon or special summon a Harpie Lady or Harpie Lady Sisters to the field, I get to destroy one spell or trap card on the field."

Then grabbing hold of another card in her hand, she slapped it to the table, saying "I now summon Cyber Harpie Lady (1800/1300) in attack mode. And since she's a Winged Beast-Type of monster, she gains 200 points (2000/1500). Not to mention, Harpie's Hunting Ground's other effect kicks in since Cyber Harpie Lady's effect has her treated as a Harpie Lady. Now I get to destroy one spell or trap card, and I choose your left face down card."

Slightly growling, Seto then sighed and picked up the card to reveal it was the trap card known as Shadow Spell. He then placed the card in the Graveyard pile.

Slightly smiling at her accomplishment, Rhia then grabbed another card from her hand, saying "I now play the spell card Elegant Egotist, which activates when I have at least one Harpie Lady on the field. Now I can special summon my Harpie Lady Sisters (1950 + 200 2150/2100 + 200 2300) from my hand in attack mode. That's not all either, because Harpie's Hunting Ground just kicked in again. Now I get to destroy your other face down card."

Seto only frowned at this and picked up his other card, revealing it to be the trap card called Interdimensional Matter Transporter. He then placed it in the pile of cards in his Graveyard.

"Time for me to reveal my face down card, which happens to be the trap card Robbin' Goblin. Each time I inflict Battle Damage to you with one of my monsters, you must discard one card to the Graveyard from your hand." Rhia said with a grin.

Smiling once more, she then said "Now, I move to attack your Kaiser Sea Horse with my Cyber Harpie Lady." Rhia said with pride in her voice. Seto had little choice but to nod and place the card in the Graveyard.

With plenty of pride still, Rhia then said "Thanks to my attack, you must discard one card from your hand due to my trap card."

Nodding, Seto then held up his hand. After a moment of thought, Rhia picked the middle card in his hand, which he revealed to be his Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

"_Sweet! Now he's lost one of his best monsters._" Rhia thought silently with happiness.

"Next, I'll direct attack you with my Harpie Lady Sisters! And again, you must discard another card from your hand."

Growling slightly, Seto then held out his hand once more, and she picked the card on the left this time. He picked it up and showed it to be his Lord of D. With a sigh, he then placed the card in his Graveyard pile.

Smiling, she then said "That shall end my turn." (Rhia 3800, Seto 1550)

Lightly smiling, Seto drew and said "Impressive Rhia. So far, you've managed to destroy my monster, take out both of my trap cards, and even managed to destroy a few of my better cards."

Then closing his eyes, his smile broadened as he reopened them, saying "Still, this duel is far from over. I now play the spell card Pot of Greed, allowing me to draw two new cards from my deck."

Seto quickly picked up two cards from his deck and examined them and lightly chuckled. He then said "Now I play the spell card Silent Doom, which allows me to bring back my Kaiser Sea Horse (1700/1650) in defense mode."

Quickly picking the card back up from the pile, Seto then placed it on the field horizontally and said "But he won't be here for long, for I'm activating his effect. When I sacrifice him for a Light attribute monster, Kaiser Sea Horse can then count as a double sacrifice. So now, I sacrifice him in order to summon my Blue-Eyes White Dragon (3000/2500) in attack mode!"

All Rhia could do was gasp as suddenly it was now her facing down a powerful monster. "I'm not through yet though Rhia." she heard Seto say.

"I now play the spell card known as Burst Stream of Destruction! This spell card is very powerful, and here is how it works. If I have a Blue-Eyes White Dragon out on the field when I play this card, I can then destroy all of my opponent's monsters! So say farewell to your birdies!" Seto said with a bit of laughter at the end.

Rhia could only snort at this and pick up her two Harpies and place them in her Graveyard. "_Darn, now I'm wide open._" She thought silently as she stared down the mighty dragon card.

"Fortunately for you, the turn I use this card, Blue-Eyes White Dragon can't attack. So, you're safe, for now. I have to end my turn at that." (Rhia 3800, Seto 1550)

Nodding, Rhia then picked up her next card and sighed at it. Knowing she was wide open, she said "I set one monster on the field, and end my turn." (Rhia 3800, Seto 1550)

Nodding, Seto drew and then said "I play the spell card known as Card of Demise. This card allows me to draw till I hold five cards in my hand. Of course, in five of my turns, I must discard my entire hand, but that won't matter seeing how I'll have this duel wrapped up by then."

With a quick motion, he then grabbed five cards off the top of his deck. Looking them over, he said "I now play the spell card called White Dragon Ritual! Now by sending monsters or a monster that totals four stars to the Graveyard, I can special summon a certain monster. So now, I'll send my Battle Ox, which is a four star monster, to the Graveyard, and special summon my Paladin of White Dragon (1900/1200) in attack mode!"

Rhia could only frown at this. She was now facing two monsters, meaning she was in trouble. "Now, Paladin shall attack your face down monster! By the way, his effect kicks in now. When Paladin of White Dragon attacks a face down monster, he automatically destroys it with his effect. Your monster isn't flipped or anything, so say goodbye to whatever you had!"

Grudgingly, Rhia then picked up her face down monster and revealed it to be Giant Soldier of Stone. She then placed it in her Graveyard pile and realized she was now in a good bit of danger.

"Now Blue-Eyes White Dragon shall direct attack!" Seto said with excitement in his voice. Even though this was a duel without holograms, the excitement of the duel was just as close as it would be with.

Looking at the remaining cards in his hand, Seto said "To end my move, I'll place one card face down. Your move, my dear." (Rhia 800, Seto 1550)

"_There has to be something I can do. I just can't give up on this duel. It's not hopeless. No, I refuse to give up this duel yet._" Rhia thought as her confidence was slowly rising. She thought shefelt Rehkyt giving her encouragement through the mind link.

"You may have me against the ropes at the moment Seto, but I'm far from finished! Watch this move!" she called out as she drew her card.

Smiling at the card she drew, she called out "First, I'll play the spell card Graceful Charity, allowing me to draw three new cards from my deck, but once I'm done, I must send two cards from my hand to the Graveyard."

Picking up three new cards, Rhia scanned through them and finally selected two altogether from her new hand and said "I send Crawling Dragon and Dragon's Rage to the Graveyard."

Gently, she then placed the two dragons on the top of her deck, leaving Seto raising an eyebrow at her move. Smirking at his look, Rhia quickly continued, saying "I next summon Red-Eyes Black Chick (800/500) in attack mode."

Lightly chuckling, Seto quickly asked "Was that your big move that will finish me off?"

Shaking her head, Rhia then smirked and said "No, but it's part of it. I now activate Chick's effect. By sending it to the Graveyard, I can special summon this, my Red-Eyes Black Dragon (2400/2000) in attack mode!"

With a quick movement, she slapped down the new dragon card and put the other in her Graveyard. Seto only chuckled again, saying "That dragon is stronger than your last, but you're still wasting your time Rhia. That dragon has less attack points than my Blue-Eyes."

Nodding, Rhia quickly replied "True, but who said I was finished? I have something in stored for you, after all. Now I sacrifice my Red-Eyes Black Dragon in order to special summon from my hand as well my Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon (2400/2000) in attack mode!"

Slapping down the new dragon, she then moved the older one to the Graveyard and watched Seto only frown at this move.

"Still, your monster is weaker than my own, so I see no point to this move." he said smugly.

Grinning at his unknowing of her move, she quickly said "There is a reason I made this move. You see, Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon has a very special ability. For each dragon in my Graveyard, my dragon gains 300 attack points. Right now, I have three, meaning my dragon just gained 900 attack points (3300/2000). This means my dragon is now the strongest on the field, and yours are weaker!"

Seto only slightly gasped at this, but then smirked. "Is that so? Well, give me your best shot then."

Not knowing whether he was trying to fake her out or what, Rhia then called out "Now I'll have Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon attack your Paladin of White Dragon!"

Chuckling, Seto quickly said "Not so fast Rhia! I activate my trap card, Negate Attack. This trap now stops your attack and automatically ends your Battle Phase. Sorry, but I won't be going down that easily."

Softly snorting at this block, Rhia grumpily said "I'll end my move." (Rhia 800, Seto 1550)

Smirking at her actions, Seto silently drew and then began to chuckle. "What is so funny!" Rhia asked in anger.

Lightly chuckling still, Seto said "This duel is over. Watch as I put it to an end! I now play the spell card Monster Reborn, bringing back my Blue-Eyes White Dragon (3000/2500) in attack mode!" With quick actions, he pulled the dragon out of his Graveyard and placed it back on the field in an attack position.

"So what? Your dragon is weaker than mine still, so you're wasting your time." Rhia said with irritation in her voice.

Smirking, Seto then said "I'm not through yet, for now I activate my Paladin's effect. By sacrificing him, I can now bring from my deck my last Blue-Eyes White Dragon (3000/2500) in attack mode!"

After flipping through his deck, Seto then slapped the third dragon card down onto the field. Rhia only shrugged once more, saying "Why continue to waste your time? None of those three have enough attack points to beat my dragon!"

Nodding, Seto replied "You're right, none of the three alone can beat your dragon, but if I play this card, they will be just strong enough."

That said, he then showed the remaining card in his hand. Rhia only shrugged when she saw him show his Polymerization card. "Big deal? What is that going to do?" she asked, still annoyed.

Laughing, Seto replied "Simple, it's going to fuse my three dragons together! Now, I play the spell card Polymerization, and fuse my three Blue-Eyes in order to create the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon (4500/3900) in attack mode!"

Rhia only sat in shock, as she saw the powerful card then played to the field. "NO! It has more points than my dragon!" she said in shock.

"That's right Rhia, and now, to end this duel! Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon shall now attack your dragon, thus ending this duel!" Seto said with a voice of steel.

Sighing, Rhia sadly said "I lost…? Darn, I was so close to winning this duel!"

The two then stood up and Seto extended his hand, saying "Very well played Rhia. You did well. I would enjoy a rematch with you sometime, if ever you feel the urge."

Rhia cheered up instantly and nodded, saying "Thank you, and I would like that. One day we'll duel again. Next time you won't be so lucky."

After Kaiba left and Rhia had a chance to think, she was confused, to say the least. Kaiba was being…nice, for once. He was _mean_ in the manga. Especially to Joey. Whoa. Personality transplant undergone alright!

'_Maybe that's what Seto meant when he said, "Now to have a talk with my reincarnation." I wonder if Kaiba does have that priest's powers, or if he knows, for that matter. I'd like to know what Seto said to him...Maybe he threatened to drop him off in Purgatory or something'_ Rhia thought, chuckling to herself. Speaking of Joey, wasn't that his third lunch tray?

Rhia, without noticing, had been watched by Yugi. He was surprised. Joey had been the only person he knew that could get that close to beating Kaiba in a duel.

"Wow Rhia. Not many people can do that well against Kaiba." Yugi said. Rhia blushed. She wasn't used to such compliments.

The rest of the first day of school at Domino High went slowly for Rhia. She barely noticed, though. She had other things running through her mind. Rhia couldn't help but think of Yugi. And every time she thought of him, she blushed.

'_But how can he like me? I'm a danger to everything he knows and loves. He'll just push me away.'

* * *

_

On the way back to the game shop, the yamis were talking to their hikari's. The subjects, though, were very different.

(Yugi, you were barely concentrating in school today. I had to bring you back to reality five times today. What's up?)

((Oh, nothing, really.)) But that wasn't true. He had this light pink tinge every time he thought of Rhia.

(Rhia?)

((Heh, heh.))

* * *

-:_Hey, Rhia when we get home, we should meditate a bit, to get your powers under control.:-_

_:I can control them:_

_-:Yes. You have to.:- _

_:Sure, ok then. But how:_

_-:Like I said, meditation. The basic of basics.:-_

_:Alright.:_

When Yugi and Rhia got home, Rhia immediately went into her room to meditate. Rehkyt led her through the steps.

_-:Breathe in, hold, 2,3,4. Breathe out, 2,3,4.:- _Rhia tried to block everything out, but no luck. Yugi's face kept showing up in her mind's eye.

_-:You're not doing it.:- _Rehkyt said after an hour of trying.

_:I know, I guess I'm a little distracted.: _

_-:Hmm...:- _Was all Rehkyt said. But she knew the exact cause to Rhia's problems.

On the roof, Atem and Rehkyt were talking. They knew that Yugi and Rhia liked each other, more than regular friends do. But they were too shy to do anything about it. The yamis had to take things into their own hands. A plan began to form…

* * *

(1)Cyber Harpy Lady: Wind, Winged Beast/Effect Level4 Atk:1800, Def:1300. Effect: This card is treated as Harpy Lady 

(2)Giant Soldier of Stone: Earth, Rock, Level3, Atk:1300, Def:2000

(3)Hammer Shot: Magic Card, Effect: Destroy one face up monster with the highest attack on the field.

(4)I think the skirts at Domino High are a bit too short.

(5)That was my first period class

(6)I got that name from the creator of Gin-Tama(Me no own!)

(7)I wrote that on the spot, people. Wasn't easy!

(8)that's one of the poems I have in Yugioh Poems. See the list of writen fics on my profile for more info.

(9)Lunch was third period for me, too. (Heh)

Ok, hope you liked chapter nine of Ghost Friends.(grumbles) I really hate that title. I will change it to Illusory Love, the name that Valinor's Twilight suggested if no one else objects. Tell me now, or forever hold your peace.

Random babblings of Isis the Sphinx:

Tokyo and Kyoto have the same letters, just jumbled around a bit.

Yami means darkness in Japanese, and Yugi means game in Japanese, so Yami no Yugi should mean Shadow Game, or Game of Darkness, right?

This was my pitiful attempt at a light hearted chapter. Hopefully there will be a bit more light-hearted-ness next chap. That's all I'm saying about next chapter. Looking at my story map, I'll be able to write about two, maybe three more chapters. Did this go fast or what? Let me tell you all a little secret. I didn't have a plan for this fic until chapter four. Can you believe that? Wait, maybe you can from how confusing those beginning chapters are. Anyways...enough of my babblings, I'm probably boring you to death. Till next chap,

**REVIEW!**


	10. Loving Memories

HA! Told you I'd update around the middle of September! It's what you've been waiting for folks! Things really get interesting now. Sit down, strap in, and keep your hands in side the car at all times. You're in for a wild ride. (grins).

I've been doing nothing but listen to Queen, Enya, and Peter Gabriel the whole time I was writing this. Pathetic, no?

Thanks goes to my many reviewers who are: _**Namonaki Pharaoh, Dakura Deoman, DJ Shortstop Clue, Divine Crimson Rose, I LOVE SORA AND DANNY, Valinor's Twilight, Mystic Dragon 1691, flamescythe, Angel's Nocturne, Hedwig the MillenniumOwl, WildEm, animeluver911, MysticChaos, feariefighting101, Thomas Drovin, White Dragon Girl, Golden Lily Dew**_, and last but not least, **_16forever_**. Thank you sooooo, sooooo, much for getting me to the 50 reviews mark. I'm happy for that. (glomps all reviewers, then gets punched away by the ones who don't like physical contact) I would like to double that number before I end this sucker of a fic. (hint hint)

Look, I'm sorry that I keep changing the signs for yami speak(lol), but ffdotnet keeps deleting my formating!

Thankyou soooo much to my best betas: _**WildEm, Hedwig the MilleniumOwl**_, and a new recruit beta, _**feariefighting101**_.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh. Why the heck do you think I do?

And now, what you all have been waiting for...

* * *

Chapter 10

Loving Memories

_Rhia to Rehkyt _

_Rehkyt to Rhia _

Yugi to Atem))

Atem to Yugi)

"Harada!" barked Shiei-sensei.

"Yes ma'am?" Rhia jumped as she began to put her stuff back in her pencilcase. One minute to go and she could be outta here...

"It's your turn to clean up after class!"

"Yes ma'am..." She said with a distinct loss of enthusiasm apparent in her voice. Damn that woman...

_**BBBRRRRIIINNNNGGGGGG!**_

The classroom emptied out until it was just Rhia left, who was already tidying up. Yugi peeked in from the hallway.

"Rhia, are you almost done?"

A sigh escaped the girl. "No, sorry Yugi. Go on ahead. I'll see you later."

"Okay, bye Rhia."

Yugi reluctantly left and Rhia continued to clean up after her more than somewhat messy classmates.

* * *

Finally, Rhia gladly opened the door to the game shop. She took a deep breath. 

'_Finally, I can relax.'_ She thought. Rehkyt smirked from her soul room. The brunette pulled out her reading book and sat down on the stairs. She settled down to enjoy two full hours of reading.

* * *

Meanwhile, Atem noticed the clock. 

Yugi, there's something downstairs I want to ask you about.)

What?))

I think you called it the washing machine. I swear to Ra it's evil. It keeps growling.)

Atem, how many times do I have to tell you? It's harmless!))

As Yugi walked, Atem kept a few feet behind him. He couldn't get rid of the feeling that Atem was hiding something. But that thought was pushed aside as he had to once again explain what the washing machine was so Atem wouldn't send it to the Shadow Realm. He had already lost $100 allowance because it happened once before...

* * *

Rhia was sitting on the stairs reading when she heard Yugi coming. Marking her book, she got up so Yugi wouldn't have to step over her.

* * *

As Yugi got to the top of the stairs, Atem manipulated some of the Shadows and pushed Yugi down the stairs at Rhia. But guided him down the stairs off his feet was more like it. It was as if he was hovering down the stairs. Rhia saw it all in slow motion, yet it happened all so fast it was as if she acted on instinct. She heard his yelp, more of surprise than fear. She turned and held out her arms, as to catch him. He landed right on top of her. Yugi didn't land on Rhia with much force, but it was enough to knock her over. Yugi's body was on top of Rhia's in a way that would have been more than comfortable in a bed. At first, there was this moment of shock where the body does a subconscious check to see if anything is broken. Then, when the shock subsides, their eyes met. Surprise and embarrassment are reflected in Yugi's eyes. Longing and self-possession in Rhia's. 

Yugi looked into her sweet, chocolate brown eyes, so covered in mental pain. He didn't know what had come over him. Their lips were so close. He dropped his head slightly and pressed his lips on hers. Rhia's eyebrows rose from surprise, but she didn't flinch. This is what she had been wanting, after all. She quickly melted into the kiss. It was sweet, as a first kiss would be. All too soon though, they broke apart. Yugi's cheeks much resembled tomatoes and he was getting up as fast as possible.

"I-I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I don't know what I was thinking." Yugi stammered out.

"Oh…" Bright red, Rhia turned and ran up the stairs. The next thing you heard was the loud thud of a slammed door.

'_Oh Ra…oh Ra, oh Ra, oh Ra… He KISSED me! He actually kissed me…But, was it real? Did he mean it? Or was that just another guy taking advantage of me, but with him going to a new level? _

_He meant it. _

_Does he really love me? _

_Of course he does. What did you think? That he hated you? _

_No… Y'know, I'd just... die for him, that's all! But I thought he didn't feel the same way about me as I feel about him. _

_Just as friends, right? _

_Yeah…hey, what are you hiding? I'm getting these serious guilt waves from you. _

Rehkyt panicked._ Uh…nothing... _

Rhia saw Rehkyt's face._ I'll tell you when I'll believe 'nothing'; the day the Great Sphinx takes off from Giza and lands in the back garden delivering mail wearing a satchel that says 'FedEx' on it! Did you plan that fall? _

_Uh… Course not! _

_Rehkyt! _

_Fine, I give. Yes, I did. With Atem's help. _

_Oh, so you had a partner in crime? Well then... _

Rhia opened the door and called to Yugi, the whole time ignoring Rehkyt's frantic pleas to not say anything.

"Yeah?" Yugi asked, not meeting Rhia's eyes.

"I think our yami's had something to do with your little trip down the stairs."

"Really?"

"Rehkyt, Atem, SPILL!" Rhia demanded. Both yamis appeared in spirit form looking somewhat abashed.

"Well, uh, you see… I can assure you that there is a perfectly adequate explanation for this..." Atem stuttered. All it took was one menacing glare from Rhia for them to tell.

"We planned it a couple weeks ago." Atem began.

"You two just kept thinking about the other." Rehkyt said next.

"The best thing that we could think of was Yugi falling down the stairs on top of you, Rhia." Atem finished.

"But how did you know we would kiss?" Yugi asked nervously.

"We're your yamis. We know these things." Rehkyt said absently.

"So…Yugi…you…" Rhia faltered.

"Yup!"(1) Yugi nodded. Rhia grinned. The yamis looked at each other and nodded. Their work here was done.

* * *

Lamia was walking towards the Kame Game Shop with all the energy she could muster. Fate had not been kind. She had had an impossible time getting food. Lamia had reached her limit. She didn't want to ask for help, it always backfired. But Lamia had encountered difficulty with getting up this morning. She knew if she didn't get food soon, she wouldn't live to see the sunrise tomorrow. 

These last few days Lamia had caught herself remembering what had happened in the mall.

'_Whenever you get so hungry that you have to steal, go by there first.'_

Lamia hoped this "Rhia" would be true to her word. It wouldn't be the first time some one had set her up for the fun of it.

Lamia heard something crash to the ground behind her. She wasn't phased by it. Rats often lived in the allies she frequently used. Something moved again, but no noise accompanied it this time. Abruptly, pain seared across her cheek, a small breeze flashed through her hair. She lifted her right hand to touch her cheek, and it came away bloody. Ok, now _that _was no rat!

"Who's- who's there?" Lamia called out into the darkness.

"The darkness my dear, the darkness."

Fear leapt into Lamia's heart when she heard that voice. It was as if the shadows of the alley were truly speaking. Another slash of pain flared on her right arm, the breeze ever so slightly stronger. Lamia didn't need to look to know it was bleeding. She didn't take anymore chances, and ran from the shadows that seemed to be alive.

* * *

As Lamia's footsteps faded away, Bakura stepped out of the darkness, his eyes following the direction she took. He licked the blood off his dagger, savoring every drop. 

'_History repeats itself. Soon, I shall attack. Darkness will rule.'_ Bakura walked off, cackling madly.

* * *

Lamia continued to run, fear still latched in her heart. Adrenalin gave her body energy where it lacked. Soon, the shop came into view. She slowed into a walk and looked around. There was no darkness here, only light. The sun shone brightly everywhere, leaving nothing in shadow. But Lamia had no time to dally. Her stomach gave another sharp pang. Was it eating itself to keep her alive? She walked to the door of the shop and went in. The person at the counter had tri-color hair that spiked everywhere like a porcupine. She vaguely remembered that mass of hair at the mall. And his eyes were the same color of violet that she hid under her hair. 

"Hello, welcome to the" He stopped short. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Rhia. I need to speak to Rhia." Lamia demanded, leaning against the counter and letting her hair fall over her face.

"But, you're bleeding!" Yugi exclaimed.

"Rhia!" Lamia yelled, almost commanding. Lamia did not want this stranger anywhere near her. Yugi sighed, and turned around to yell up the stairs,

"Rhia!"

"Yeah?" The call came back down the stairs.

"Can you come down to the shop please. I need you."

"Okay." Steps were heard coming down the stairs. "What is it, Yugi? Can't reach something?" Rhia's eyes landed on Lamia. "Oh sweet Isis." She rushed to Lamia. "What happened?"

"Wait a minute, you're Rhia?" Lamia stuttered.

"Yeah, I am. Now, what happened to you?" She said, keeping on topic.

"I-I don't know."

"Maybe some food first?" Lamia nodded. "Ok, the kitchen is past that door at the end of the hallway. Get cleaned up and sit down. I'll be there in a minute." Yugi waited until he was sure Lamia was out of hearing distance before he dared to open his mouth.

"Rhia, who was that?" Rhia sighed, turned around, and walked toward the bathroom. Yugi followed.

"That, was our food thief from the mall."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Rhia reached up and retrieved the first aid kit from it's place on the shelf.

While the hikaris went in the kitchen, Rehkyt and Atem were talking in the hall.

"Atem, there's something you need to know." Atem only quirked an eyebrow. "You know that we were married six years before Zork attacked. What you don't know is that soon after we married we had a child." Shock registered everywhere on Atem's face. "We had a daughter. Her name was Lamia. By some strange twist of fate, that girl in the kitchen is the physical reincarnation of our daughter." Atem was speechless. He was a father! And his daughter was on the other side of the wall! He couldn't believe his ears.

"I have to see her." That's all he said before he phased through the wall.

Yugi!)

What?))

She's my _daughter_! My _daughter_!)

Who?))

Lamia!)

He appeared behind Lamia, but only Yugi and Rhia could see him. Rehkyt soon followed. He raced around the table to see Lamia's face. When he got there, it was as if Lamia could also see Atem. Memories he didn't know he had raced through his mind, their reflection in his eyes. The sudden reminders were too much, the floor came up to meet him, and all went black.

* * *

Yugi grabbed his ear, Atem's blackout was like a sharp headache. He saw Atem out like a light on the floor, and his eyes went wide(wider than usual) for a split second. He turned to Rhia and Lamia.

"I have to get something, be right back." As Yugi almost ran out of the kitchen, Rhia knew something was wrong, but didn't follow. She had to find out what happened to Lamia.

"Lamia," she began, eyebrows scrunching together. "What happened?"

"Well," Lamia trailed, before taking another bite of the food in front of her. "I was walking…"

* * *

Yugi all but _ran_ to his room as soon as he saw Atem faint. He returned to his soul room immediately after falling. Yugi sat on his bed. He didn't want to fall over while exploring his other self's soul room. He had done that before, and it had hurt. Concentrating inward, his eyes glazed over as he landed in the shared soul corridor of his mind. Opening the door to his yami's soul room, he walked in and instantly spotted Atem on the floor not far from him. Yugi walked over and picked Atem up. Even though they both had bodies in their soul rooms, the ancient Pharaoh was surprisingly light. The violet-eyed hikari imagined a bed and one appeared at the closest wall. He placed Atem in the bed and tucked him in. Now to figure out what exactly was going on. 

Yugi placed two fingers on Atem's forehead, right where the Third eye would be. Atem did it with Yugi when he needed to remember dreams that might be important. As soon as contact was made, images flashed by Yugi's eyes almost too fast to be comprehended.

_Flash!_

Playing in the garden with his father.

_Flash!_

Beating Shimon at Senet.

_Flash!_

Having a light practice duel with Priest Seto.

_Flash!_

Marrying Rehkyt.

_Flash!_

Raging emotions, a woman in bed, most likely Rehkyt.

_Flash!_

A child with black hair playing with her mother.

_Flash!_

Sending Rehkyt and Lamia away to safety. Screaming to the heavens and gods soon after.

Yugi lifted his fingers. He understood that Atem was gaining the rest of his memories. Sure, he didn't go through the World of Memory for nothing, but he didn't get everything. He was now receiving it. All at _once_. No wonder he blacked out. It was all too much for his mind to handle. Yugi left Atem to his literal trip down memory lane. He would feel like a real person again once he woke up... Poor old Atem. If that wasn't a shock and a half, he didn't know what was.

Yugi smiled.

* * *

(1) I had to put Yugi's traditional "Yup!" in this fic somewhere…

* * *

Well, everyone, that's the end of chapter 10! I don't believe it. CHAPTER 10! I wouldn't have made it here without you guys. Thank you so much. I luv you all! (Not that way!) Now, do me a favor, and hit the review button. 

_Review!_


	11. The Capture

I have pics of what Rhia looks like on my website. Go to my Bio and click on Homepage. Then in the black box, it'll say Illusory Love. Click on that and leave an opinion in the shout box!

HEY!I finally got this chapter up! I have to say, it looks really good. But, that's just me. No random babbling, just me thanking people for various things.

First, for betas:

**_FearieFighting101_**, _**DragonDancer1014**_,**_WildEm,_** and, a kudos to _**Hedwig the MillenniumOwl**_ for trying to get to this! Everyone, when you're done with this, go to DragonDancer1014, and read her stuff. I mean, it **ROCKS! It ABSOLUTELY ROCKS!** If I had to limit my Favorite Authors list to two people, it'd be **DragonDancer1014 **and **Yugi Motoh**.

Note to DragonDancer1014:

The round kick _IS_ also called a roundhouse kick. The same kick has a different name per discipline. It depends on what you take.

Ok, note done.

Thanks to reviewers:

**_Namonaki Pharaoh, Dakura Deoman, DJ Shortstop Clue, Divine Crimson Rose, I LOVE SORA AND DANNY, Valinor's Twilight, Mystic Dragon 1691, flamescythe, Angel's Nocturne, Hedwig the MillenniumOwl, WildEm, animeluver911, MysticChaos, feariefighting101, Thomas Drovin, White Dragon Girl, Golden Lily Dew_**, **_petals and keyblades,_** and last but not least, **_16forever_**.

I've got 58 reviews. Can we boost that number to 100 before this thing ends? Please? We've only got like two more chapters before this thing ends, and i'm not even sure about that. I just might end it all in chapter 12.

Well, whatever you do, Keep Reading and Writing. The day one stops imagining, that's the day we truly start to die. Remember that. Grow old, but never grow up.

Warning: Slight cussing and saying God's name in vain. I'm being in character people! I wouldn't do it myself. (or at least try!)

Disclaimer: I no own.

_

* * *

_

_Rhia//_

_Rehkyt/ _

Yugi))

Atem)

* * *

Chapter 11

The Capture

Lamia was bandaged up and fed, ready to go back out into the world.

"Are you sure you're gonna be ok?" asked Rhia.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be fine. Quit worryin' 'bout me!" Lamia blew off the reincarnated queen's concern.

"Ok. But promise me you'll come back tomorrow. You're not completely healed." Lamia obviously didn't want to, but the look on her face said, _"Fine…"

* * *

_

Upstairs, Atem began to stir in his soul room.

Oh…my head,) he groaned.

I'm not surprised. You went for a LONG trip down Memory Lane.))

Atem only quirked a brow.

Tell me, what happened on your 10th birthday?)) A light automatically turned on in the yami's eyes that Yugi had rarely seen.

It was a surprise party. I had gotten my newest steed. And it was the day I…) Realization hit Atem hard.

Met…Rehkyt)

That's right.)) Yugi smiled. Somehow that girl, Lamia, restored _all_ your memories.)) Atem nodded. Then something hit him.

Where's Rehkyt?) That was unexpected. Yugi blinked.

Umm…downstairs?))

May I take over?)

Yeah, sure. But be careful, you were out for an hour.))

Yugi's body opened its eyes, the irises violet-tinted crimson. Atem got up, went out the door and down the stairs like a shot.

He reached the bottom and found Rhia sweeping the floor.

"Rhia, could you switch with Rehkyt, please?" She turned around in surprise.

"Oh, hi Atem. Are you ok?" He nodded, but the look in his eyes and posture was expectant. The girl sighed. "all right, hold on." Rhia and Rehkyt switched. As soon as the Queen opened her eyes, Atem did something one would never expect of a mature Pharaoh.

Poke.

Rehkyt blinked, he poked her again. She then grinned, getting the idea. He poked again, and she poked back.

The hikaris were confused, to say the least.

Rehkyt?

This is what Atem did when we first met.

* * *

_Flashback (when the yamis were 10 or so)_

"_Atem,_ _I want you to meet someone."_ _Akunumkanon said, pushing his son into a room. "Now you have to promise to be nice, alright?"_

"_Yes, Father."_

"_Atem, meet Rehkyt." Just in front of the future Pharaoh, was a young, scrawny girl. Her black hair was long, almost touching the floor. Her bangs fell in front of her face on one side, hiding a green eye._

"_I'll see both of you later. I have a delegate from Syria to…deal with." And with that, Akunumkanon walked out the door, leaving behind to guards._

_Poke._

"_What was that for?" Young Rehkyt asked, rubbing her arm._

"_Girls are weird, but I don't see anything different about you. I'm trying to find what's so different about you." Atem said, and continued to poke._

"_Well, boys are weird too!" Rehkyt said, trying not to be outdone.

* * *

_

"When did you remember?" the Queen asked.

"That girl, Lamia, did something. I looked into her eyes, and next thing I know I'm looking at Father again."

"Oh, well, I'm just glad to have you back, Atem."

"Where is Lamia, anyway? I want to thank her."

Rehkyt was at a loss. "I know not. Ask my hikari." The queen and Rhia switched again.

"I dunno." Rhia shrugged. "She left. I told her to come back anytime, who knows if she will."

"What?" Atem said, a little too loud.

'_Did I do something wrong?'_ Rhia thought. She stepped back, more than a little nervous. "Why did you let her go?!"

"I don't know!" She said, scared. "I saw no reason to keep her here!" Rhia got defensive. And usually when you get defensive, you get angry. "I didn't know it was _SO _important for you to talk to her, _almighty Pharaoh!_" With tears welling in her eyes, she turned and ran out the game shop doors.

Both Yugi and Atem were confused.

But I just wanted to thank her…)

Walking around Domino, Rhia was trying to figure out what happened for herself.

_I can't believe him! Just because I wasn't able to keep her there doesn't mean he should blow his top.//_

_He didn't blow his top, as you say he did. He was just surprised./ _

_But, why did he raise his voice, Rehkyt? It, it scared me, to tell the truth. I didn't know what I did wrong, and I get yelled at!//_

_Shh…/_ Rehkyt sent calming emotions through the link. _It's ok/_

_I know, I know. But I'm still furious.//_

_You're looking for a way to blow off steam?/_

_Yeah./_

Rhia walked around Domino more, sending glares to any who stood in her way. She was walking through the darker part of town when she heard a scream from the alley she just passed. Freezing, Rhia cocked her head and heard a screech followed by a few whimpers. Turning around, she peeked past the corner to see what was going on. What she saw shocked her.

_Oh God. A rape. Rehkyt, should I help?//_

Rehkyt thought and wasted a few precious moments. The woman's shirt was already in tatters. The rapist, a tall guy with red hair, was already trying to cut off her bra.

_Stop him!/_ Rehkyt growled.

_That's just too far!/_ Rhia glared at the rapist, sneaking up behind him. Positioning herself behind the idiot, she picked her foot up into a chamber and said,

"Hey, BAKA!!" He turned around, completely surprised, and received a round kick.((1)) Down to the ground he went. While the rapist was trying to figure out what just hit him, Rhia tossed the sweatshirt she was wearing to the woman. "Get out of here!" she commanded.

It took the woman a moment to process things in her head, but she finally got it and ran to who-knew-where.

The reincarnated Queen then turned her attention on this guy.

"You. Are. Going. To. Regret. That!"

Five minutes later, the rapist was totally unconscious, and lying in the alley.

Rhia continued walking in the more deserted allies. Though she felt a bit better, (beating up someone else helped…) the girl was still disgruntled with the Pharaoh and, by extension, Yugi. As she walked into a particularly dark shadow, someone grabbed her from behind.

"Mmnph!" she cried as a hand with a cloth covered her nose and mouth.

"Now, now, my dear. Don't fight it. Just go to sleep."

Rehkyt! That's Bakura's voice! Rhia was struggling to get away and hold her breath. She had exhaled when Bakura grabbed her.

He's got Chloroform. Rhia's thoughts were becoming weaker. She had breathed in.

'Oh Isis…help…' **_Rhiannon!/_**

* * *

Rehkyt felt Rhia's body go limp. Just as she was about to take over, Bakura grabbed the Necklace and pocketed it. 

Rehkyt _stormed_ in her soul room.

"That cur! That piece of mud that decided to get up and walk around!" Her arms flew through the air as she yelled. "That lily-livered chicken! When I get my hands on him, he better hope oblivion is merciful, 'cause I won't be!"

When she finally calmed down, Bakura's cackle exploded around her ears.

* * *

Back at the game shop, Atem and Yugi were worried. Rhia had been gone for hours and she had not even called. Yugi's hand clenched and unclenched as he pondered over what to do. 

Do you think we should go look for her?))

No. We wouldn't find her anyway. Remember how hard Joey was to find?)

Yeah, you're right. But if she's not back by dinner, we call everyone and start searching.))

Alright, Yugi.)

The chimes to the shop tolled through the room. Yugi was on autopilot, looking up with the same smile he gave all customers…until he noticed who had come in.

"Ryou?" Yugi frowned. Were his eyes always that overshadowed? When Ryou looked up, it was no longer he in possession.

Aibou! Switch!)

Atem sensed something. He did not know what, though. Bakura had given them a few reasons to trust him-including not trying to kill Yugi and having civil conversations with Atem. Even with all that, something was off. The tension in the air made the hairs on the back of Atem's head stand on end.

"What did you do?" Atem snarled. Bakura's expression changed. He had this smirk on his face like he had the upper hand and wanted to tell the whole world about it. And, to tell the truth, he did.

"I have the Queen," was all the thief said- a simple statement, yet it was so threatening.

"Where is she?"

"In time. If you want to see her again, _alive,_ blindfold yourself and come peacefully."

"How do I know this isn't a trick?" Bakura raised his hand and made a small patch of Shadows appear in the air between them. The Shadows became something similar to a TV screen, showing Rhia bound at hands and feet with Shadow Magic. But was most frightening was the ring of Shadows around her neck.

Rhia!))

"Do you know what will happen if you don't come peacefully?" Bakura asked, evil glee twisting his features. "Let me show you." His eyes narrowed, and so did the ring around Rhia's neck. She began coughing, and her body jerked spasmodically.

"Let her go!" Atem yelled.

"Only if you agree." The ring tightened more, both Yugi and Atem could see Rhia's coughs get weaker and weaker.

"OKAY!" Bakura smirked and loosened the ring. Bakura again commanded the Shadows, fashioning a blindfold that he wrapped over Atem's eyes.

After what seemed like an hour of walking, Atem heard the sound of a huge metal door. Feeling a hand at the small of his back, he was roughly pushed to the floor. He stumbled, fell, and his face made a rough contact with the concrete.

"Yugi, is that you?" Atem heard Rhia's voice off from his right shoulder, panic edging her tone.

"You're 3000 years off. Are you ok?"

"Oh. Yeah, I'm fine. I'm also a bit tied up here, but I'd help you otherwise."

Spitting out the blood from his cut lip, Atem rearranged himself so he was sitting cross-legged and not kissing the floor.

"That's all right, Rhia. I'm fine."

"And I want to apologize for earlier. To both of you. I got worked up too easily."

"Are you two done? I'm tired of listening you whine." Bakura rolled his eyes and released the Shadow Magic that had kept Rhia bound and Atem blindfolded. Atem was able to see again, and saw that he had landed right next to Rhia, but she was facing away from him.

"Now to get this party started." The Shadows once again made an appearance, but this time on a larger scale. All around them, they rose up. One could still see the walls of Rhia's temporary prison, but it was as if those walls were made of solid Shadows.

"You never saw this coming, did you? Of course not, his pansy-ass Highness-ness Pharaoh is too high up in the clouds to notice anything. And Rhia wouldn't have noticed anything either, with her being too busy with those dreams I induced. You never knew. You didn't get rid of Zork 3000 years ago. All you did was delay him 3000 years. You can't destroy him with a mere Shadow Creature! That's all Halakti was! A Shadow Creature! If she was created with Shadow creatures, the three Gods, then she's a Shadow Creature. Zork has resided with me for 3000 years, biding his time, waiting for the opportune moment. I would've destroyed you separately, but you somehow got back together. I dunno."

"Wait, you mean YOU were the one who took me away from here, who made my life the fake story that it is?" Rhia yelled, the pieces falling into place in her head.

"Oh! So the little girl gets it! That's right, I did. It was the one time the Ring was in Domino before it got to my host. I sensed the reincarnations immediately. I knew I couldn't get to the Pharaoh's incarnation, he was too well protected. But the Queen's, hah! That was a different story. I temporarily took over the person that was in possession of the Ring at the time. It was a 40 year-old woman. The name escapes me. I remember breaking into little Rhia's bedroom, leaving not a trace. Y'know," Bakura paused for a minute, pondering. "Being in the Shadows a lot gives one private knowledge of other dimensions. I quickly opened a portal to one of these dimensions. I threw Rhia in and closed it. I don't know what happened to Rhia after that, and I don't care. My plan worked as perfectly as I could get it then. Seeing as the woman wasn't my true host, I couldn't get her to do something she truly didn't want to do. For example, killing someone. So, I did the next best thing, which you all know."

"Now, it's time to finish what I started 3000 years ago. Yugi, Rehkyt, why don't you come out?"

Not of their will, Rehkyt and Yugi phased out and automatically gained physical bodies. Yugi was forced to switch with Atem and then Atem was given a body created by the Shadows. Bakura took the Millennium Necklace and tossed it to Rhia. She caught it, and Rehkyt also claimed a body.

"Now to start the game. Diabound, COME OUT!" Bakura commanded, calling the long-unused Kaa to the field.

"Everyone, call your Kaa's!" Rehkyt commanded.

"What? How?" asked Rhia.

"Umm…yeah!" Yugi said, agreeing.

"Just center your magic and then release it!" Rehkyt spat, glaring at Bakura.

After four separate flashes of light, all the Kaas were out. Atem had Dark Magician; Yugi had Silent Magician, which was at lv.3. Rehkyt had Wingweaver, a monster that in the card game had 2750 attack points, and Rhia had Harpie girl, which only had 500 attack points in the game.

_Rhia! Stay out of this fight! Your Kaa isn't strong enough!/_

"Diabound! Attack Wingweaver!"

**_Rehkyt!!!//_**

**_

* * *

_**

1. Round Kick: like taking your foot and leg and sweeping a table clean.

* * *

Review please! This was my best chap yet!

* * *


	12. Side fic: Kaiba's Waking Nightmare

Hello everybody. Ok, this is not the LONG(trust me on this) LONG awaited chapter 12 of Illusory Love. This is the side fic that I've mentioned ever since...chap 8? Sweet mother, has it been that long already? And I'm sorry for posting it right before a BIG arse battle and event, but I'd thought I'd give you SOMETHING to read during the wait. Current stats on Illusory Love is chap 12 is currently being betaed by feariefighting 101, and I think she's really being hard on me. After that, it goes to DragonDancer 1014, and then post.

About this side fic. I admit it. I did not write this. WildEm did. I thank her with everything I can. (here's a BEWD plushie for ya WildEm!) I think that Illusory Love has become a joint project of people on and off fanfic ever since chap 8 or 9. Here's the credit to the people on fanfic:

_**Feariefighting101, DragonDancer1014, Hedwig the MillenniumOwl, Anime Warrior Skye, WildEm, the phantom banana, and anyone else I may have forgotten.**_

Thank you SOOOOOOO much. Illusory Love would NOT be what it is today without you guys. And to whoever reads this, go look at their stuff!!!!!!!

This side fic was written by WildEm, but the main idea was mine, so I at least have an iota of credit.

It's one big chap here, but it could have been about 5 or six seperate chaps. And I think that's all I have to say.

**Disclaimer (general, not particularly to Isis): Obviously, I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh I wish I did, but such is life. sulks It belongs to Kazuki Takahashi. Nor do I own the song 'Bicycle Races' by Queen, and I have adapted Gabriel to the extent where I can call him my OC. Obviously, I do not own the Angel Gabriel... Although I do think he belongs to God...**

**Also, I apologize for any inaccuracy regarding Angels or religious beliefs concerning Angels. Some of this is deliberate and some of this is just lack of knowledge on the subject.**

**This is a fanfic and _I_ call the shots! **

**For example, I know that Seraphim are supposed to have six wings and Cherubim are supposed to have four wings, and in this fic all Angels have two wings, but hey, go with the flow peeps.**

**So, for this fic, Seraphim are the most powerful Angels, followed by Cherubim, followed by Ophanim, and then the Hashmallim. Seto is a Seraph, Gabriel is a Cherub. God himself is not a character, but is referred to indirectly. Gabriel is based on the figure from Christianity. There is also reference to Egyptian Gods, I haven't decided yet.**

**Angelic Powers: **

**Seraphim:**

**All of the below, plus; Electrokinesis, Electro-Mental Ignition.**

**Cherubim:**

**All of the below, plus; Aerokinesis, Healing.**

**Ophanim:**

**All of the below, plus; Telepathy, Sensing.**

**Hasmallim:**

**Flight, Invisibility, Immortality, Photokinesis, Intangibility - This just explains how he gets into Kaiba's office without doors lol.**

**Summary: Kaiba has become the latest victim of an Angelic Inquisition. Does his past incarnation bring tidings of great joy? And exactly what does he have to teach him? SetoxKisara side-fic to Illusory Love**

' _"Rhia..." the voice was talking now, no longer whispering. It was masculine, strong, deep, but warm and inviting at the same time, "Rhia..."_

_Rhia looked up to the light, seeing a figure. So close, yet so distant. She put her hand up in hope that they might take it._

_"Rhia, fight, you must." it said. As Rhia came more accustomed to the bright light, she could see the figure in more detail. He was familiar, very familiar, but she was certain she didn't know him. Maybe Rehkyt had known him. He was very tall, 6ft4, and elegant. And, quite obviously, an Ancient Egyptian, judging from his tanned skin and regal attire, and he had the queerest blue eyes. But the strangest about him were that white and silvery wings that came from the center of his back. _

_An Angel..._ '

' "Uuuuhhh... Guys..." said Yugi, turning a disturbing shade of pale, his eyes feverishly wide. They all turned to him and he crumpled his brow as if he were trying to see something in the distance.

"What is it Aibou?" asked Atem, worried about his hikari's sudden state of shock.

"You know Rehkyt had Light powers, and so Rhia also has Light powers..."

"Yeah."

"Well... If... If, Priest Seto is, you know, an Angel... Does that mean... that Kaiba is as well?" '

_**"How many of our daydreams would darken into nightmares if there seemed any danger of their coming true?" **_

Logan Pearsall-Smith (1865-1946)

**Illusory Love: Kaiba's Waking Nightmare...**

**_"Angels can maintain anonymity as long as they need to, pretending to be mortal when the occasion calls for such a masquerade." _**Emily Hahn, _Breath of God. _

**Chapter One: Pathetic Fallacy.**

If one ever needed - I shan't say wanted - to find Seto Kaiba, or indeed if one was ever unlucky enough to find Seto Kaiba, then the places in which he could be found had been narrowed down to two places. Work. And School. Mostly work. For fear of termination of employment, most people knew not to bother him. Yes, even those lucky sods that were indeed not in the employment of Seto Kaiba. And this was the very reason why, on the top floor of the Kaiba Corporations Headquarters in Domino City, Seto Kaiba worked in his office alone.

Occasionally, a terrified employee would knock on the door, turn the knob silently, as if any remote sound would rouse the beast within, report that the imported stocks were delayed, wait for the reply, which would usually be something like; 'what are you standing there for you idiot?! Get out of my sight!!!' The request was, without hesitation, obeyed. What the reaction to the report had been, the woman did not know, for she had kept her head down for the entire duration of the ten seconds the door had been open.

It had seemed to her that, when she opened the door, a cold and fierce draught had whipped through the whole corridor, sending a shiver down her spine and causing her eyes to widen. It was very like the feeling one contracts when they walk through the gate of a deserted graveyard on a very cold, foggy, night with a new moon darkening the clear sky. Like hearing the bloodcurdling scream of the gate hinges being pushed back against the very resistance of the inhabiting souls themselves.

Seto Kaiba was not an inhabiting soul of a murky graveyard. Although his everyday portrayal was very convincing. As usual, the eyes that were capable of freezing entire oceans were fixed on the LCD screen of his very high-tech plasma-screen computer. The keyboard wasn't even a keyboard, it was a touch pad with all the letters on it, and the only sound that could be heard from his office was the haunting tap of his fingertips against the touch pad. The light, which illuminated his handsome features, gave his already pale complexion the white look of a ghoul or a vampire, and you could almost see the figures and letters that he was typing being projected onto his face as he typed them. The back wall of his office was made from only glass, giving what, on a summer's day, would be a magnificent view of Domino City.

It was so pathetically fallatic it almost made the teenage CEO's stomach turn. The rain was plummeting down, plunging through the air and hitting his window with such a force he was surprised it was still in one piece. Forbidding black clouds had formed only meters above the roof of his building, giving an ugly and strangely stomach-twisting contrast to the lights on his ceiling.

And why was it pathetically fallatic? **(A/N: Pathetic fallacy is when the weather reflects the situation)** Why should it not be? Why should Seto Kaiba's luck be any worse than that of any other human being? Well, if someone such as Joey Wheeler had been given the opportunity to answer that question, he would have perhaps answered "maybe because he's not a human being", with slightly more - or less, take it how you will - accented language, of course.

_Maybe he's not a human being..._

Yes, admittedly Joey Wheeler was not the brightest button, but even the most unbearable of idiots are bound to hit upon the truth at some point or other...

Was that how the world perceived him? Was that really what other people thought of him? On the outside he would say he did not care, and most aspects of him genuinely did not. He was the last person on Earth whom this would bother.

"Damn it!!!" he cursed violently, whacking his fist on the desk and making the small remainder of his cup of coffee jump off its coaster. _"Bloody Yugi Motou! Bloody Ishizu Ishtar always spewing those outdated fairytales!!! That woman needs to be locked up in a mental institution!!"

* * *

_

"Atem, come on, surely it can wait." Rehkyt reasoned, "Rhia's really shaken up. I think it would be for the best if we all stayed here and comforted her a bit..."

"I want to go now. We all know what Kaiba's like..." Atem protested.

"Since when were you so concerned for Kaiba?" Rehkyt asked.

"Since I got the impression he might get thrown into Hell! I have been there! It's not pretty!" **(A/N: Has he? Let's just say he has.)**

"That's Purgatory," Rehkyt chuckled soothingly, "and I think Kaiba can take care of himself. He's a tough nut to crack."

"But..."

"You trust Seto." she said definitely, giving him the no-nonsense glare his heart wouldn't let him confront, "And I cannot put it any differently. And..." she smiled to herself, "We might even find that Kaiba's less of a pain from now on."

"Meaning?" asked Yugi, squinting, raising an eyebrow and turning his head so that his left ear was facing Rehkyt.

"Maybe we shall see."

* * *

It seemed, to High Priest Seto, that this new world was not, all that it was cracked up to be. Yes, there was modern science, and what did they call it... technologia? And the most wonderful foods like he had never seen, but, _"there was a down side"_, he thought as he walked, yes, walked through the crowed streets of Domino City. Invisible, of course, his wings 'folded in'. He was all too used to walking among people who could not see him. And even if he had been visible, if it were not for his slightly anachronistic attire, one would think that he was just another passer-by. 

_"Yes." _he confirmed to himself with an unreadable expression on his face, _"Definitely a down side."_

There was mistrust. There was deceit. There was greed. There was dishonesty. There was nothing to be proud of. No one cared. All this he had known in Ancient Egypt, but never to this extent. And the air he breathed; it lingered nastily on the back of his throat and made his lower lip twitch slightly with disgust. It was dirty, nothing like the clean fresh air he had been used to. But there was one thing that puzzled him more than anything...

There was no Magic.

This to Seto was unimaginable and totally unfeasible. What had happened? He could sense the presence of Magic, and it was so weak, he could barely feel it at all. It was like a tiny mouse, scrabbling at a door that it just could not get past. A door that was only open to young children, to which his stomach writhed. The door was modern and mortal common sense. People did not bend and stretch their minds anymore. It was considered unhealthy.

Was that why Seto's mind had gone into overdrive? Atem and Rehkyt's hikaris, as reincarnations of themselves, and being generally more open to the idea, had made them easier to convince.

His might not be...

Remaining invisible, he unfolded his wings, and in one smooth motion, he raised him self into the air, and set himself on course for the top floor of the HQ of Kaiba Corporations.

* * *

It was quiet. 

Too quiet.

Kaiba liked peace and quiet, but this felt ridiculous. He could almost hear the silence. Something behind him made him whip around, banging his calf hard into the leg of his desk as he stopped the chair from turning too far. Pain rushed up his leg, but he might as well have been paralyzed under a local anesthetic for all his brain was recepting. He blinked a few times, and rubbed his eyes.

Well, air was something, right?

He could have sworn somebody was there. And the instant his brain told him there was something there, he would have betted his entire fortune on it in that one tiny instant. It was so convincing... But there was nothing. Little fuzzy daytime hallucinations crossed his vision; burning his eyes and making them water. He blinked hard. _"But I could have sworn..."_

There was no one in the room, except himself.

He needed more coffee. Black. No sugar.

His finger hovered over the button, but as he did, the daytime hallucinations began again. Normally he got these when he was about to get a major migraine.

Coffee. Black. No Sugar. And Paracetamol. **(A/N: A painkiller, like aspirin, but not.)**

"Oh for God's sake!!!!!!!!!" he growled through gritted teeth and rubbed his temples again. The hallucinations were all bright white, and instead of being fuzzy, they were clear-ish, and they sort of began to come together, like the whole thing was a giant 3-D jigsaw. It was so bright he couldn't look at it, and he closed his eyes tightly and covered his brow with his forearm until the genuine fuzzy lights stopped floating across the inside of his eyelids. He opened his eyes.

They widened.

His blood ran cold in his veins. His breath came in short sharp heaves and he began to shiver uncontrollably. And then, he actually fell off his chair.

"W... Wha.. What???!!!"

* * *

_**"Few people realise the profound part Angelic forces play in human events." **_

Billy Graham.

**Chapter Two: _All _of the above.**

"You're _not _real..." Kaiba forced out, "Y...You're _not... _y...yo...you c...c..._can't _be... ...real..."

Priest Seto tilted his head to the side calmly. "Actually I think you'll find that I am."

"You c..._can't_ be real!!! God I really need more coffee..."

Seto took a few steps forward and kicked Kaiba roughly on the arm. "I am real. Rê, you must be even denser than I expected."

Kaiba began to laugh. First he chuckled, and then it turned into a more maddening, insane laugh. He got to his feet and pushed rudely past Seto, reaching for the buzzer.

"I would not do that, if I were you..." he said, and then, just to finish it off; "Pun intended."

Kaiba began laughing again. "I'm, going, insane. Haha, I'm, _seeing _a _copy_ of myself. Hahaha, so what are you then?" he asked with wide eyes, prodding Seto on the shoulder, "Ghost? Poltergeist? Nightmare?"

"None of the above."

"So what are you then? What bullshit have you come to tell me? Wh..." he paused, and then pointed at Seto, "Did _Ishizu_ send you?" he accused.

Seto took a semi-deep breath. "I am you." he said, "But from a different time. We are identical in all dimensions except the dimension of time. Without time, we would be one and the same." he stopped when he saw his hikari's face. Kaiba had got into his sane and sinister mode again.

"Look." he said, with a lethal tone gracing his vocal chords, "Tell Ishizu I. _don't. _care! Oh," he remarked, "and I don't know how much she's paying you but you deserve more than a tip for dressing up like _that_!!! Now get out of my office!!!" he snapped. The reaction to this was unexpected. Seto took one giant step and squared himself up with his reincarnation, his face only inches away.

"I come not of Isis's accord." he snarled, "I come of my own."

"Isis? Her name is Ishizu, and she is a nutcase."

"I will _not _prolong to abide your superciliousness!!! I sincerely suggest that it ends. _Now_." **(A/N: Ooooooh... Long words...)**

Kaiba snorted. "Or. What?" he said daringly. "Get. Out. Of. My. Office."

Seto's expression was even more dire than his own. Kaiba's reflexes were quick, and a split second maneuver was all it took to block an oi tsuki (pursuing strike) from Seto. But Christ, he was strong. Seto struck again, and again, Kaiba blocked with a suto uke (using his outside forearm). Seto suddenly ducked and hit the back of Kaiba's knees with an ashi barai (foot-sweep kick), and as Kaiba began to fall, he turned around and delivered a mikazuki geri (crescent/drop kick) on Seto's left shoulder, before his hand made contact with the ground and he could flip himself upright again, but Seto struck with a mawashi geri (roundhouse kick) before his foot reached the floor. The kick connected with the base of Kaiba's neck and he let out a brief growl of pain as he was thrown sideways, twisting his spine and bruising every other part of him to name. He hit the floor hard, every cold muscle throbbing from his landing, but he swung his foot hard at Seto's ankles in an ashi barai, but Seto suddenly did a perfectly executed, perfectly timed back-flip, punching Kaiba under the chin as his hand came up after he had landed. Kaiba felt his whole body leave the floor, and in slow motion, he counted the seconds until he hit the unforgiving floorboards. Three, two, one...

He fastened his jaw as pain set in, flowing through him and setting every nerve ending on fire. Seto stood next to the apparently defeated Kaiba and frowned sinisterly.

"I can harm and impair you in ways your tiny corporeal-minded brain cannot begin to _imagine_!! So I recommend that you listen and heed well!!!"

"You still. Haven't. Answered. My first question." Kaiba growled, emphasizing his words to the extent where he was almost spitting. Seto back away, greatening the distance between them. He could sense the stench of mortal ride roughshod over his look-alike's denied power and identity.

"And who are you to demand an answer from _me_???"

"_What???_"

"Kaiba do _you _even know who you _are_?"

"_Get out._"

"Are you even going to answer me that? _Hm?_"

"_Get out!_"

"You _don't_, do you?"

"_GET OUT!!!_"

Seto's rage was gone. In another flash of light his beautiful white wings exploded from behind his back, and spread themselves out to their full wingspan, which was about five meters. Even though he was angry, he seemed to be glowing, so faintly, and yet so brightly at the same time. It looked like he was illuminated from behind too. He looked so pure, so sheer, even the most beautiful of Earth's attributes were nothing in comparison, even with his shadow, which was almost non-existent.

This time, Kaiba was speechless.

In one effortless and fluid motion, his feet left the floor, and closed in on Kaiba again, hovering so that he would have to look up to him. A vantage point that Kaiba neither liked nor was used to. Anxiety was coursing through him now. His legs felt like jelly and he felt his knees buckle beneath him, and fell to the floor, shielding the light from his eyes.

"You still haven't answered my question," he said, a little more nervously this time, "Who are you?"

Just as he had said it, his eyes fell upon something gold and round and sharp that seemed to be attached to the end of some sort of handle. It was tidily bandaged to the outside of his right lower leg, the end bit resting happily in the groove of his ankle, and the round end with the two sharp blades at either side and the Eye of Horus welded to the front was resting up by his knee.

"Have you not guessed it?" said Seto, his voice now echoing _ever_ so slightly, so little it was debatable as to whether it really was. He chuckled, enjoying his double's confusion.

"I am the spirit of the Millennium Rod."

* * *

**_"Insight is better than eyesight when it comes to seeing an Angel_**." 

Quoted in _The Angels' Little Instruction Book_ by Eileen Elias Freeman, 1994.

**Chapter Three: Two and a half Angels.**

"What???!!!" Kaiba spat, "That thing belongs to Marik Ishtar!!!"

"No." Seto shook his head, "Marik came into the possession of the Rod, and he was only given it to guard. But, to sooth his own pain, he attempted to control its power. And he could not, at least not fully anyway. That is how Yami Marik came into existence. It was the Rod's power, twisting and manipulating Marik's mind and gradually forming an alter ego from a combination of uncontrolled power and Marik's own sadness. And, Marik was never one of the Royal Court. He holds complete remembrance of what happened in his past life. But it is the prophecy of the Items that every Millennium Master will lose at least some of their memory, to keep them sealed in the Item. Although that at the moment is irrelevant." he paused for a moment, "Only, and _only_ the seven Millennium Masters can control the power of their respective Items. _You_ are the Master of the Millennium Rod, Kaiba."

Kaiba shook his head slowly and his lip tightened. "N... No... That's not true... L...Leave me alone!" he shouted through gritted teeth, looking up through determined eyes, "G... Get out of my sight!!!" Kaiba even struggled not to add a 'please' onto the end.

"If you will be blind," Seto said, "then I shall restore your Sight." he leaned forward and grabbed Kaiba by the collar. Kaiba felt his world spin, and thought he had fainted. In about two seconds - he couldn't tell - the bizarre ringing in his ears faded and the dizziness stopped, and...

Since when did his office have filthy rock walls? And since when did he have falls of lava falling from the filthy rock walls? He sat up slowly, and his fingers found the ledge of something. He looked over the edge, and what he saw made a yell escape his lips. He shot back until he could feel cold uneven rock on his shoulder blades, his hands desperately edging further up the rock trying to find some way to get further away from the ledge. He looked up again with wild and fearful eyes, and saw his look-alike hovering a few meters away from the center of the cavern, his wings beating minimally, barely moving, with the most effortless impression. The strange illumination was still there, and seemed to be the only thing providing light, with the small exception of the glowing lava.

"What have you _done_???!!!" Kaiba demanded, but the Angel simply smirked.

"What? This?" he asked, holding out his palms to either side, "This is Purgatory, Seto Kaiba." **(A/N: Oooooooooooh)**

"P...P...Purgatory???!!!!!!!"

"You heard."

"You're not bloody serious..."

"Actually it is not my habit to make jokes."

Kaiba's blood was running through his veins like ice. His legs felt numb and were totally immobilized. Fear, yes, fear paralyzed him from head to toe, and his eyes betrayed him in showing this. Seto's eyes narrowed and he grabbed Kaiba's collar again, but this time, he thrust him forward, so that Seto's grip on his coat was the only thing stopping him from falling into the eternal Hell below. Kaiba's yell echoed off the rocky walls.

"If you can't see this, then you had better grow up, and grow up _fast_. Because _this is _reality, Seto Kaiba. Now let yourself admit it, for Ra's sakes do us all a favour!!!"

"_Oh my God_..."

"Hey Seto."

Seto turned his attention to the right, and Kaiba managed to twist his neck around sufficiently to see who had arrived. A pale young man, a little older than him with a mop of beach-blonde hair, a pale complexion and baby blue eyes was sat quite comfortably on a nearby ledge, his legs dangling over the side. He wore all white, with a shirt that should have looked smart, but was untucked with the top three buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up. White trousers, and all white trainers. He looked like he had walked straight out of a boy band like Blue or McFly, and wouldn't have looked out of place dressed in a Hawaiian shirt and carrying a surfboard under his arm. But this thing, which shocked Kaiba most was the white glowing wings, that were almost like Seto's, but just with a little less brilliance. His hands were shoved deeply into his pockets, and he appeared to be wearing earphones that were connected to an i-pod.

"Dare I say, how's it hangin'?" the Angel said. Kaiba noted that he had a strong Australian accent, "WHOA!!!! CRIKEY MATE!!!" he exclaimed, **(A/N: I love that...)** and the a little more stupidly; "He looks just like you!!!"

"That's why I'm dangling him over Purgatory. What are you doing here Gabriel?" Seto asked, still dangling Kaiba 100 odd meters over molten rock/metal.**(A/N: Yes, Gabriel as in the guy from Christianity.)**

"What, you're danglin' him over Purgatory, 'cause he looks like you?"

"No, I'm dangling him over Purgatory because he has to learn Control, and he doesn't want to, and I'm _changing _his _mind_. And take those bloody things out of your ears you cannot possibly hear a word I say!"

"Alright! Chill dude!!!" Gabriel yanked the earphones from his ears and shoved them into a pocket.

"So, do you bring tidings of great joy?" **(A/N: Does it sound like I own the Bible? No I think not.)**

"C'mon, dude, that phrase, is so like, last millennia."

"Two millennia actually."

"Whatever! As long as I get paid."

"You don't get paid, Gabriel."

"Shut up."

Seto smirked.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Gabriel cooed, flying around to Kaiba's level, "Crikey mate. A Fledgling hm? Hiya, I'm Gabriel, as in _the _Angel Gabriel, Cherub and messenger extraordinaire."

"_What_???" Kaiba scoffed, but he could feel a rising clamminess inside him. And, to his horror, he realized that it was the feeling of adaption. He was beginning to believe it. What could he say? Also, if the other one really was the Angel Gabriel, his presence was weaker than Seto's. It was beginning to dawn on him how powerful his look-alike actually was. Even so, one slip of Seto's attention, and he would be dead within a second of having hit the magma below.

"How are you feeling_ now_, hikari?" asked Seto coldly, giving him a cruel shake, "A little _nauseous_, maybe?"

"Get me up." he breathed.

Alright." said Seto, and began to pull him back, and Kaiba let out a sigh of relief.

Too soon...

Seto wasn't done with him yet. Not by a long shot. There was only one way he could think of now to clear this up once and for all. Drawing the fist which held Kaiba back, and slamming it forward...

Kaiba's scream echoed a thousand times as he plunged, and could probably be heard in the Afterlife and beyond. The air ripped at his trench coat and body, giving the feeling of burning and fire, and ice at the same time. Various four-letter words ran through his mind, and he began to see his life flash before his eyes.

_"Christ, oh God please..._

_I'm going to die."_

From a few meters up-crevice, Gabriel gave Seto a quizzical look, to which Seto answered with a classic smirk. Well, this was the way the birds did it when their young didn't want to leave the nest.

Kaiba closed his eyes tightly and wrapped his arms around his head, repeating in his head;

_"It's just a dream, it's just a dream, please please just let this all be a dream..._

_But it's not a dream!!!"_

He couldn't feel anything. It was like all time had ceased. He could no longer feel the rush of air against him. There was only sheer terror. He screwed his eyes even tighter. Time started again, and then, it all happened.

The air against his cheeks felt kind and sweet, which Kaiba had only a split second to relish. An incredible, white-hot, searing pain burst from between his shoulder blades. The pain became so intense, Kaiba felt tears sting his eyes and set his jaw fast to prevent any sound from coming out. It only lasted for about two seconds, and after that...

After that... he felt light. Strong. Invincible. His tight muscles felt replenished and he felt like he was basking in an eternal warmth. His heart was pounding so fast, the blood was thumping so hard in his temples, and he could no longer hear anything of his surroundings...

Then the feeling returned to his legs again, and he found that he was standing on a ledge about three meters from the lava. He did not know how he got there...

Not that I know this from experience, but being run over by a twenty-ton HGV is not a pleasant encounter. But unfortunately, that was the very feeling that hit Kaiba so hard.

_"...Did I just...?"_

The last thing he saw, was the two other Angels diving down towards him, before his world, spun, faded, and went black.

"He's fine Gabriel. If anything it did him good. He had it coming. And an Angel cannot just go untrained like that. It is too risky."

* * *

"Hey look, he wakin' up." 

"Urgh..." Kaiba groaned, trying to move, but in vain. The pain in his back still throbbed clearly and without sign of stopping. "Where am I?"

"You are at home."

"Argh..." he breathed, remembered his ordeal and the reason for the pain, "Why am I so tired?"

Seto looked solemn. "You used your powers for the very first time." he said, "They were forced to emerge when you came into danger. Although at first, controlling and concealing your Angelic powers will take up much of your physical energy. This is the reason for your fatigue. Rest."

"I can't rest!" he growled, "I have to..."

"You must assemble your priorities!!!" Seto snapped, "I do not apologize for the inconvenience. You do not have a choice anymore."

With slow realization, Kaiba recognized the surface he was lying on as the soft-ish-ness of the sofa. He forced himself to sit up, and he hung his head between his knees and rested on his elbows for a minute. When he looked up, he saw Gabriel sitting in a chair about two meters away, his earphones in. Kaiba could vaguely hear what sounded like 'Love Don't Let Me Go', by David Guerra vs. The Egg. He was head-bopping slightly and his mouth vaguely formed the lyrics, well, those he knew. He stopped when he saw Kaiba stir.

"G'day mate."

"Who said you could stay?" Kaiba snapped, and Gabriel looked his way, and raised his eyebrows in a weirdly innocent yet 'go-on-if-you-dare' look.

"Well mate, yer _are_ the owner of this house, right?"

"No, I broke into the house of a rich man who, coincidentally, has my last name!" Sarcasm rolled off the end of his tongue, but Gabriel didn't flinch.

"Quick of the tongue, I see. Anyways, yer were sleeping so no one said we couldn't."

"What about Mokuba?"

"He says it's fine. Chill dude."

"Mokuba agreed???!!!"

"Yeah. Good kid that."

"Is your friend with the hat still here?"

"Yeah." Kaiba inserted a groan. Gabriel continued; "He's out like a light too. It's my turn to keep watch."

"What do you mean? Your _turn_?"

"Yer've been out cold for three days straight mate." said Gabriel with an unusually straight face, "We've taken it in turns to watch yer. Yer bro told school and work yer got the flu."

"Damn!" he cursed, trying to get to his feet, "I gotta get to work!!!"

"Ah-ah-ah..." Gabriel chided, pushing him onto the sofa again, "You're not going anywhere for a few days mate. You're going to learn Control, whether you like it or not."

Kaiba cradled his head in his hands. He was too tired, and, if he would let himself admit it, he was frightened. Only Gozaburo had ever been able to terrify him so much. Reluctantly, he recalled the moment, when he was falling, when the indescribable agony in his back unleashed this incredible feeling. The feeling of light, of good and of power. The feeling of divinity, being lifted so high above all other people. He had sort of liked it. It was like when you try a little tiny piece of a new food and you can't decide whether you like it or not, so you want to try more to find out for sure. His inner self became curious, but he wiped it to prevent Gabriel sensing this.

"Where's the _priest_?" he asked, pronouncing the word 'priest' as if it were the worst possible swearword he could think of.

Gabriel shrugged. "Next door."

Kaiba stood up and shoved his way past Gabriel, knocking the Angel back into his chair in the process. He marched into the other living room, where Priest Seto was laid on the sofa, his long, slim and lean form seemingly draped casually over the cushions. He heard his counterpart come in, and smirked to himself.

"What in God's name do you think you're doing?" Kaiba demanded, "You and your Ozzie buddy get the Hell out of my house, NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Sorry, I am afraid to say I cannot do that." replied the High Priest coolly. Kaiba blew a fuse.

"That's it I'm calling security..."

"And you are going to tell them... What?" Seto chuckled, "Two Angels dropped by to tell you that you are one too and they have now invaded your household? That is comic."

"Do you normally act like your namesake, or is it a passing trend?"

"Do _not _insult _our _namesake in front of me!!!" Seto hissed. Kaiba carried on:

"I don't care what you say..." he yelled, fury boiling like water, "I won't learn anything from you!"

"You will."

"Who's gonna force me? You?"

"Do not underestimate me, hikari. I can and _will_ force you. Even if I have to control your mind. You _will_ know something of your power before the day is out."

"NO!"

"Yes."

Kaiba turned on his heel and headed for the door, but with the lazy wave of a hand from Seto and a gust of wind blew it shut. Kaiba felt the vibrations of the lock turning as the palms of his hands grabbed the doorknob, but it was too late. Seto stood up to face him, drew the Millennium Rod from the bindings on his leg, and took slow, purposeful steps towards him. Kaiba went pale, and backed away, until his back was pressed up against the door. Seto took a nimble and well-practiced jab, and pressed the Rod against Kaiba's left upper-arm. He exerted a small amount of power, and let the Rod do the rest.

The moment the Rod touched his arm, Kaiba felt a firm grip over his entire body, and found that, on request, he couldn't move his limbs. He could turn his head a little, but the rest of him was completely frozen over.

"I want you to clear your thoughts. Clear your head, and then imagine a very bright, very distant light. Can you do that?" said Seto. He felt Kaiba's resistance, which was stronger than he had originally expected it to be, but that did not matter. He was still the stronger by far.

Kaiba fought Seto's request with his entire being. He thought of dueling, Mokuba, work, anything but the light...

Seto frowned, and exerted more power through the Rod. But this time, pain, ten times stronger than the pain he had felt before surged through him. It felt like he was on fire, like his skin was being ripped away, like every muscle was splitting fighting itself. Kaiba tried to let out a scream, but his mouth gave no sound, only his eyes showed the agony.

"_Do it_." Seto ordered, and applied a little more. This time, Kaiba felt the pain decrease slightly, and felt his mind and consciousness get smaller, until he could feel a psychic barrier around his conscience. He struggled, but it held fast, and Seto began to bring forward the thought he wanted. Kaiba mentally whimpered as he saw a tiny light in the distance. He could hear Seto's voice in his head;

_"Now, use your will to bring the light closer to you. Want it. Bring it to you."_

Kaiba whimpered again as he felt himself comply against his will. He brought the light closer, until it was two meters from him. It was the brightest ball of energy he had ever seen. It was so close, so close he could reach out and touch it. He was totally cut off from the outside world now, and he knew he was standing inside his own mind. An image of Seto appeared about the same distance away, and his voice echoed eerily in Kaiba's mind.

_"Take a small amount of it, shape and manipulate it, and then just let it go. Do not hold it for more than five seconds."_

Kaiba's arm reached out, into the ball of energy, and brought a handful of it back to him. It glowed through his fingertips, and his hands formed it into a faint disc, like small children did with cat's cradles, so it looked like a thin surface of glowing water. After four seconds, his fingers let the power go and it dissipated into the dark surroundings. A glassy layer had formed over his eyes, but nothing more.

These sessions continued. Seto came back to control his mind once a day, and he spent the rest of the day recovering and regenerating. A week passed, two weeks, and Seto upped the 'lessons' to twice a day, with every lesson taking up to a few hours each... He knew what his look-alike was doing. Once he had learned something, even when he was under Seto's power, he could not unlearn it. His knowledge of Magic was quickly developing and fitting into place, and no matter how hard he tried to ignore it, he knew it. It was in his head and nothing could take it out again. He had learnt how to fly, conjure winds, levitate, sense, read minds and become invisible. Seto's lessons were vigorous and very fast-paced, more so than was entirely sensible, and therefore he ended up using more energy than he possessed, causing extreme exhaustion. Seto was forcing him to become someone, something he did not want to be.

That verified it.

He was weak. First Gozaboro, now his own past-incarnation! He was weaker than weak! All these years he had tried to convince himself otherwise, and now he laid on his own bed, stretched out, his trench coat crumpled and creased underneath his slim form. His eyes, softened with pain, were boring into his favourite card, the Blue Eyes White Dragon, and occasionally, a stray tear ran down his cheek. He could feel his power growing rapidly inside him, making him feel insecure as the Control he didn't want increased.

What was the time?

Quarter past seven. He heard the doorknob turn, and did not even bother to groan to himself. Seto stood in the doorway, the Rod bound next to his leg.

"Go away..." said Kaiba weakly, "Please..."

"How are you?" he asked. Kaiba rolled into a fetal position with his back facing Seto, burying his left cheek into the pillow. He knew what was coming next.

"You do not seem well."

Kaiba remained silent.

"I understand."

Kaiba snorted weakly.

"We have had this discussion before, hikari. If you will not cooperate, I will force you. Why do you still deny it? Do you think I _want _to force you? Do you think I want to torture you? I am not that inhumane."

Kaiba shot him a feeble death glare, and he continued. "I, I am sorry. I did not expect you to be so strong of character."

"You clearly don't know yourself very well, then do you?"

"I was as resistant as you, at first."

"What?"

"When I was told that I was an Angel, a Seraph, to be more precise, I pushed them away. I did not want the power I was destined to wield. But I had to."

Kaiba looked up. "So what changed then?"

"It grows on you."

"Oh, and when you said you weren't inhumane, why did you defend a figure a figure in Egyptian Mythology who is a representative of pure evil?" Kaiba asked, trying to acknowledge his look-alike's current state of heart. Seto sighed.

"Myths are stories derived from fact. Everyone knows the Seth/Osiris myth, but for the first few hundred years after those events happened, it had only ever been passed down by word of mouth. It changed. The characters of Nephthys and Osiris were altered because the Egyptians at the time did not want to believe that their former Pharaoh was who he really was. Did you ever wonder why women had equal rights to men back then? And did you ever wonder why Seth rose to the Heavens with the other Gods and Goddesses, but Osiris descended to the Underworld?"

Kaiba shook his head.

"The version you know is not totally true. The main element is but the events leading up to Osiris' murder are not. Seth was vengeful for a reason. It was not because his brother was the Pharaoh, it was love for his wife." Kaiba's eyes widened at this. "They say that a woman vexes all men. Seth was a God, but he was no different to any other man when it came to love. Just because Osiris was an efficient Pharaoh, it did not mean that he was a good person."

"So the story's not true. There was something up with Osiris."

"Yes."

"Like what?"

"Well, Osiris was married to Isis, and Seth was married to Nephthys. Nephthys was the more beautiful of the two women, and Isis was too independent for Osiris' liking. He also disliked Seth's increasing power over his domains of war, destruction, chaos, storms, waters and deserts. Osiris own power over the land was far far inferior in comparison with Seth's. So, in order to tick off Seth, and to fulfill his own desires, he cleverly drugged Nephthys, so she could not use her powers, and then he raped her."

"WHAT???"

"He raped her. As soon as he let her out of his filthy clutches, she ran crying to her husband and sister, and told them what had happened. Seth went mad. Battle mad. Berserk. He swore then to kill Osiris even if it claimed his own life. Isis was deeply hurt, because, even though she knew of this alternate side to Osiris, he was still her husband, and she did not understand how he could do that to his own little sister. Anyway, the rest of the story is true from there onwards, although Seth was not castrated or condemned when he was finally called an armistice with Horus. And that is the true version." Seto said, folding his arms.

"How do _you_ know this?" Kaiba asked softly, "How do you know that the known version is incorrect?"

Seto sighed again, and took a deep breath. "I was born an Angel, Kaiba, I did not become one as the others do. I was resident on Earth. How do you think that I learnt Control?"

Kaiba shrugged. "Yeah, who did teach you?"

"Never mind."

"Go on."

"I _said_ never mind!!!" Seto growled through gritted teeth. Kaiba scowled, and then he decided to take advantage of Seto's open mind.

"You want to teach me to Heal." he said, although his voice sounded like it was that of some form of computer, and not of a man. His eyes were closed lightly, "But you want to offer me a choice first this time."

Seto's eyes widened and his brow creased. "How did you know that?"

It was Kaiba's turn to smirk. "It seems that the more you teach me about myself, the more I learn about you. You're difficult to read, but you taught me well. It would seem that your plan is backfiring."

"It has not backfired yet." Seto answered, "But you are quite correct and very precise. It would appear that Telepathy is one of the powers you find easiest, I gather." his voice then lowered slightly, "You are highly intelligent, so that is to be expected. I wonder how you will find Healing?"

Kaiba's heart sank. He was going to be controlled again. Then he remembered what he had picked up from Seto's thought waves; "You said you would give me a choice!!!"

"That was my original intention, yes." he replied. Kaiba looked away and screwed his eyes tightly, "Tell me the truth now Kaiba. If I left now, and never came back, and you never saw me or Gabriel or anyone else again, would you never exercise your powers again?"

"No."

"Not once? Not if your life depended on it? Never? Could you do that?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

Kaiba paused. Could he?

* * *

_**"An Angel can illumine the thought and mind of man by strengthening the power of vision,**_

_**And by bringing within his reach some truth which the Angel himself contemplates." **_

St. Thomas Aquinas, _The Bliss of the Way. _

**Chapter Four: Angelic Embrace.**

"Guys..."

Yugi, Tristan and Joey turned around to see Téa and Rhia approaching from behind. The group was sat in a café on the busy daytime high street. Rhia looked bright, but serious, and Téa looked vaguely similar, clutching her small handbag underneath her arm.

"Heyas, what's up girls?" said Joey. Rhia sat herself down next to Yugi and sighed.

"Rehkyt's worried. She told me just now as we were driving here." she said, "She says that using her Light powers she can Sense a new presence in Domino. A powerful one. And, well, you know Priest Seto was gonna talk to Kaiba..."

"Yeah."

"Well Kaiba hasn't been to school for over two weeks now. I should have had English class with him yesterday."

"He could just be at work." Yugi suggested, "I mean, Kaiba's well known for skiving off school for business trips."

"Yeah, for up to four days maybe, not for two weeks straight! Have you asked Mokuba?"

"We don't see him, he's in da junior school. So he's pretty hard to catch outta lessons." Joey explained.

"Atem's been worried ever since Seto appeared to us." said Yugi, "He wants to talk to Seto more, but he doesn't know where to start looking for him."

"Maybe we should go check if Kaiba's okay guys. I know he's a pain in the arse and he can fend for himself and everything, but Rehkyt says he has an incredibly important part to play in all this." Rhia added, "And let's face it, if we do by any chance need him in the future, we need to know he's okay and not curled up somewhere half dead."

"That's true. I'm gonna go see if he's alright. If he really does have the flu or if there's something a little more complicated going on."

"Um hm. Me too." said Rhia, "Let's go now."

"I'm gonna sit this one out, sorry Rhia." said Joey, "He's a jerk."

"Uh, did we mention that Joey and Kaiba have their, uh, disagreements?" asked Yugi, looking to Joey's face again and added; "A lot?"

"So Joey's out. Tristan?"

"Same." Tristan added.

"Well I'm coming." said Téa.

"Great!"

"Okay, but don't say I didn't warn yas so when Kaiba bites your heads off."

* * *

Kaiba's eyes were watching the Millennium Rod like a hawk's, suddenly, he didn't feel so confident, and the confidence he had built up over the last half hour dissipated into the atmosphere. Seto drew it and raised it... 

"Wait!" he said, holding his arms at their full length, showing Seto his palms. Seto gave him a half wary, half glad look, narrowed his eyes slightly and lowered the Rod slightly, "Don't."

Seto raised his eyebrows, and Kaiba took a deep breath. "I'll do it."

"Hm?"

"Don't control my mind again." he said quietly. Seto lowered the Rod and looked at his hikari, and tried to hide an expression, which said 'I'm-almost-proud-of-you'.

"Alright then. Ready?"

* * *

"Wow! I had no idea Kaiba's house was _this _big!!!" Rhia exclaimed as she, Yugi and Téa approached the giant mansion on the outskirts of the city. 

"I know, Kaiba's done well for himself." said Yugi, "I bet I could fit twenty Game Shops in this place."

"Forty... A hundred..." Rhia trailed.

_Rhia, please try to stay on target,/ _Rehkyt projected through the mindlink, scowling slightly, _I can really Sense this power now. The whole house is shrouded by it./_

_Yeah you're right.//_

"Rehkyt can really feel this presence now, although I can't always Sense it when she says she can." said Rhia as Yugi reached for the buzzer which turned on the intercom.

_(Aibou, this does not make sense! I cannot Sense anything at all.)_

_((Angelic powers are connected to Light powers, that's how they can Sense it.)) _Yugi projected back to Atem, who was pacing in his soulroom.

"_Hello?_" said a voice through the intercom. They all breathed a sigh of relief when they recognised the voice as Mokuba's.

"Hey Mokuba it's Yugi."

"_Oh hey Yugi. Hang on, I'm opening the gates._"

* * *

"Healing is a delicate art, as it requires a sound knowledge of the human body. Something, which, in the twenty-first century there is no lack of. It requires willpower, subtlety and knowledge." said Seto, as he paced in slow circles around his hikari, who was stood in the middle of the room, his hands linked behind his back, his eyes shut. 

"Go on." he said calmly.

"It is also a pure art. Be known only to Cherubim and Seraphim. You have to dig deep inside yourself in order to find the more tender and supple power, as opposed to the destructive outer power."

Kaiba opened his eyes, and found himself standing in an all black room with no visible walls and the globe of power right next to him. Seto appeared next to him, wings unfolded.

"Now." Seto asked, "How do you plan to extract the inner power from the outer power?"

Kaiba paused for a moment. Seto was asking _him_ this time, instead of extracting answers directly from his mind. It was time to start thinking outside the box.

"Make the outer power permeable..." he said slowly, "And then let the inner power seep out. Then shape it."

"Good. Why?"

"Because making an opening in the outer power to draw the inner power makes a weakness which can be targeted by telepaths and other psychological attacks. If you make the entire globe permeable, it means there is no obvious target and the outer power can be strengthened in time to block a psychological attack."

_"Rê, Atum, Nun, Isis, Osiris, Seth, Nephthys, Hathor, Sekhmet, Thoth, Khonsu, Ma'at, Ptah and any other god or goddess of Egypt, I think he has got it." _Seth thought to himself with a small smirk. Kaiba now had his eyes lightly closed again.

"So how do apply that power after you have summoned it?"

"Hold your hand over the wound..." he began quietly and slowly, "Then send your mind and power down your arm and into the wounded area. Then speed up the mortal healing process. Make cells to multiply and make tissues knit together, numb the cut nerve endings and dissipate fatigue."

Kaiba opened his eyes and gave Seto a confident and knowing gaze. Seto just smirked and nodded.

_"I have succeeded."

* * *

_

"So how's your brother been Mokuba?" Yugi asked the thirteen-year-old whose head was bopping up and down slightly as he walked through the mansion's massive foyer.

"Uh... He's fine. Nothing wrong. Oh, hey, there are, um, a few people here who might be of some interest to you..." he said, before yelling; "Gabriel?"

No answer.

"Come through!" he grinned, leaning his weight against a heavy wooden door and pushing it open. Téa, Yugi and Rhia observed a young head-bopping man dressed all in white listening to an i-pod.

"Gabriel!!!" Mokuba yelled, "GABRIEL!!!!"

The disguised Angel jumped. "PHWHOA!!! CRIKEY MATE!!! That's one heck of a voice yer got there kid!!!"

"Guys, this is Gabriel..." said Mokuba, and Gabriel sprung up off the sofa and shook their hands in turn.

"Hello, I'm the Angel Gabriel as in _the _Angel Gabriel, pleased to make your acquaintances."

"Um, Mokuba?" asked Téa with a sweat drop running down her temple.

Mokuba frowned comically and his eyes darted from side to side. "Um yes he actually is the Angel Gabriel."

"WHAT???? ARE YOU SERIOUS???"

"Sure sweetheart!" said Gabriel, "G'day mate. Y'alright there?" he asked, slapping Yugi on the shoulder.

"I'm fine, uh, thanks, I think..."

Gabriel unfolded his own wings and took off, hovering about three feet off the floor.

"JE...SUS CHRIST!!!" Rhia yelled. Téa gasped and Yugi remained speechless.

"Yes he did walk on water." said Gabriel absent-mindedly, and the others sweat dropped again.

_Uh... Rhia.../ _Rehkyt said worriedly through the mind link, her spirit-form beginning to massage her temples.

"What are _you _doing here?"

_Rhia.../ _Rehkyt contacted again, but Rhia ignored her as she, Yugi and Téa whipped around to see a glaring Seto Kaiba standing behind them, his arms folded, his weight on his left leg, giving him a stance of authority, but there was something in his eyes which gave him away...

"Oh, Kaiba," Yugi began, "we were wondering if you were okay..."

"I'm _fine _Yugi!" he snapped, making poor Yugi jump, "And if you've come here to offer your help, you can march yourselves out of that gateway _now_!"

_RHIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/ _Rehkyt screamed, clutching at her head.

_What's wrong??!!//_

_My senses have gone into overdrive!!! Ahhhhhhhhh/ _she screamed again, _It's so close... so close.../_

_What?//_

_Can't you Sense it?/_

_No... Well, a bit. What's going on what's wrong with you?//_

_I think it's because I am more used to Sensing than you... Argh... It is so strong, so close... This power... It's... It's Kaiba.../_

"WHAAAAAAAAT?" Rhia yelled, unaware that she had yelled it out loud. Yugi, Téa, Kaiba and Gabriel looked at her in silence with raised eyebrows, and her cheeks flushed red.

"Sorry..." she said, "Talking to Rehkyt. I'll shut up now." Kaiba snorted and rolled his eyes.

_But it can't be...//_

_It is, someone's been teaching him Magic. I remember feeling like this around Priest Seto.../_

"Uh, Kaiba why is the Angel Gabriel in your house?" **(A/N: LOL)** Yugi continued, fairly oblivious of Rhia's conversation with Rehkyt, although it had not gone unnoticed by Atem.

"You think I want him in my house? I haven't got one Rê-damn clue why he's even here!"

"Whoa! Chill dude." Gabriel blurted.

"Shut up."

"What's going on?"

They whipped around again, Rhia's hair whacking Yugi in the face. Priest Seto stood in a similar stance to Kaiba, but still his presence was greater. Rhia heard Rehkyt cry out in agony, but she knew there was nothing she could do.

_(Aibou, let me talk to Seto!) _Atem contacted. The Puzzle glowed and Yugi let the 5000-year-old Pharaoh take over his body. Atem replaced Yugi's confused look with a stern one and turned to Priest Seto.

"Congratulations Seto, I thought I would never see this day." he said with a hint of sarcasm on the 'congratulations'. Seto smirked.

"I can be very persuasive."

"But, tell me one thing..." Atem started, "It surprises my that you have not attempted to revive your dragon."

Atem's question was a clever one. This one question would give him an insight into any others he might have wanted to ask. A puzzled look painted Seto's face. "Dragon?" Kaiba looked up. How could his past incarnation not know about the Blue Eyes White Dragon?

"The _Blue Eyes White _Dragon?" said Atem, never having seen Seto quite this puzzled before. Kaiba rolled his eyes, and pulled out the card itself, and passed it to Seto.

"Be careful with it." he warned. Seto's fingers traced the illustration on the card. Yes, he had seen this somewhere before...

It was Seto's turn to feel agony. His heart dropped to his feet and a feeling of true shock erupted from his centre and spread down his limbs. His heart began to beat faster than it had ever done before and his diaphragm moved in ways he had only felt so long ago. He felt salt-water gather over his eyes and he hung his head in shame...

"Kisara..." he whispered, his breath rasping and his feelings raging, with small tears sliding down his cheeks. Why did he have to forget her? Why? He did not have care what anyone had said about her status. He was one of the Six Sacred Guardians. It would not have mattered. He had status enough for both of them. When he had felt her life flicker and smoulder, he had wanted to go with her. He had wanted to die. He would have died a thousand times to go with her.

"Seto?" Gabriel asked, wondering who the Hell this was and what they had done with Seto. Seto looked up at his colleague, before disappearing into a flash of light.

"Damnit!!!" Atem cursed, but in actuality, he had got the answers he had wanted. Seto truly was an Angel, whether he acted like it or not, and Kaiba seemed to be alive through it all, which was more than he had originally hoped for.

"He'd better bring that card back, or I'll kill him." Kaiba growled.

"You can try." said Atem, "Good luck with that."

"Only problem now though guys..." said Gabriel, "Where the Hell is he?"

"I didn't know Seto had a connection with the Blue Eyes White Dragon." said Téa, "I just thought it was Kaiba's favourite monster."

_Rhia, let me take over for just a bit./_

_Okay sure.//_

The others watched as the Millennium Tauk glowed and Rhia's eyes changed and became slightly darker as Rehkyt took over. To Rehkyt's surprise, Kaiba seemed totally calm and did not so much as widen his eyes.

"Yes he did have a connection with her." Rehkyt said, before adding, "Yes, it is a 'she', by the way. In our time, the Blue Eyes White Dragon was an incredibly powerful Ka belonging to a young girl, who was shunned by society because she had near-white skin, steely blue hair and blue eyes. The villagers tried to stone her to death because they thought she was a bad omen. Seto caught them, saved her, and eventually fell in love with her." Kaiba rolled his eyes, and she ignored him, "She sacrificed her life to save his, and replaced his Ka Dios with her own."

"But then how did he forget her?" asked Téa, enthralled by the story.

"Every Millennium Master was forced to forget something they loved from their lives when their souls were sealed in the Items." said Rehkyt, "Take me for example, I forgot my own powers, and Atem forgot pretty much everything. Seto must have been made to forget Kisara."

"And now he remembers." said Gabriel, who was equally interested about his cold friend's love.

"Yeah."

"So what do we do? Find him?"

"Ideally."

Atem suddenly had a brainwave. "I think I know where to find him."

* * *

The palace of Pharaoh Atem had not been visited in a long time, although it was lucky that it had not been found by archeologists. It was now buried by what must be tonnes of sand and earth, and a vast majority of it was crushed. However, one part of it that had not been lost was the Tablet Hall, where all the captured Kas were held. The almost non existant air choked Seto's lungs, but it hardly mattered. He couldn't die, he was immortal. He spotted the tablet he was looking for, his ragged breath the only thing that could be heard echoing off the dusty and fragile walls. His knees shook as he gingerly made his way over to it, and gave way as his fingertips brushed the rough stone. His wings unfolded as he fell, softening the clout of his knees against the floor, and illuminated the stone with his bright light. Kisara's Ka resided in his hikari's deck, he knew, but her Ba was still trapped here. He felt a blazing warmth from inside the stone. She knew he was there. 

"Kisara..." he breathed, "I... I couldn't save you..."

The warmth blazed again. Could she hear him?

"I... I am so sorry..."

His cheeks were stinging with tears and he couldn't even see further than the carved stone in front of him. He fell onto his front, and then onto his side, his arms around his head, his right cheek against the cold floor. His wings, apart from their light, seemed to be dead. They lay limp, falling over his back, the right one pressed against the floor, the edge of the left just brushing it on the other side of him.

Meanwhile, far above anyone's heads, other immortal souls were watching. A young-ish man - it was impossible to tell how old he was, he could have been twenty-five, yet he could have been fifty - watched his former pupil from above. His jet black hair, which fell to halfway down his neck in the traditional Ancient Egyptian style, was blowing slightly in the wind he had conjured. He stood around 6ft4, and was dressed like an Ancient Egyptian Archmage, but with a _lot_ more gold. He wore a long red cloak, which was even wider than Seto's. **(A/N: The Ancient Egyptians believed that red was evil) **His face was handsome, but at the moment it was grim. A woman with golden wings, who was nearing six foot in height herself, approached him. She wore a golden crown which looked like two curved horns with a disc of ruby between them. She also wore a white dress which billowed prettily with lots of wide scarves/belts **(A/N: Like, wide pretty scarves, just tied around her waist.)** tied around her waist and a _lot _of jewelry.

**"What is down there that interests you brother?" **she asked, her voice booming. The man looked back at her, his emerald green eyes flashing.

**"Nothing that would interest _you_, sister."** he replied. She looked down on what Seth saw.

**"I do believe I recognize that child." **she said, and Seth nodded.

**"That child, Isis, is one of the most powerful Seraphim in existence."**

**"I do not know the Seraphim! Of course... He has aged a little since... What is his name...? Setau...? Setep...?" **(A/N: Yes those are Egyptian names, not just silly words I just made up.)

**"Seto."**

**"Of course. And now he mourns a lost love. Hathor should be a little more sympathetic." **(A/N: Hathor is the goddess of love.)

**"Sympathetic she most certainly is not." **he commented.

**"We have no part in this." **Isis said firmly. She knew his thoughts. In the time in which he had taught Seto, both as an Angel and in fighting arts, the two had formed a bond. Seth was himself unable to have children and Seto was the nearest he had ever had to a son. Seto had also considered his namesake to be his father. Of course, he had not known about Akunadin then, he had only been about thirteen. **"Do not interfere."** she said, before turning away and walking back into the God's palace. Seth continued to think.

_"A woman vexes all men." _he thought to himself. It was true. He had been seen as an embodiment of pure evil throughout 5000 years of Ancient Egypt for that very reason. He knew the feeling well. No man deserved it. _"Then I shall relieve it."

* * *

_

It felt very much to Seto, that hours had passed since he had arrived here, even though it had only been minutes. He could feel her there, so close, yet so far away.

_**"Seto..."**_

Seto did not hear it the first time, but as it repeated itself;

**_"Seto..."_**

He looked up, not able to see anything at first, but as his eyes adjusted, he could see a figure. The figure of a person he had not seen in a long time.

"Master Seth..." he whispered, holding his arm up towards the God. Seth took his hand, gave a quick tug, and Seto felt his soul leave his body, and blacked out.

* * *

"Thanks for the ride Gabriel." said Atem as he, Rehkyt, Téa, Kaiba and Mokuba appeared alongside the Angel inside the palace. 

"No problem mate."

"Where are we?" Tea asked, letting go of Gabriel's hand.

"Hell if I know sweetheart." said Gabriel.

"This is my palace!" Atem exclaimed, and Rehkyt gasped, "Whatever has happened to this place? What of it's glory?"

"What of it's air?" Kaiba coughed.

"What he said." said Gabriel, pointing at Kaiba and wrinkling his nose.

"Seto!" Atem called, seeing his cousin's body lain out on the floor before the tablet. All of them ran to his side, and Rehkyt felt his jugular vein for a pulse.

"He's alive..." she pronounced, "Just." Yugi and Rhia appeared in their spirit forms beside Atem and Rehkyt.

"What happened to him?"

* * *

"Master Seth...?" Seto asked, as he realised that he was flying at a very high speed alongside his namesake, "Where am I?" 

**"You shall soon see."** the God replied, as the two suddenly burst through what seemed like an opalescent forcefield, and into a bright light as bright as their own. Seto felt the blazing warmth again, only this time it was so hot it burnt him.

"Are... Are we inside Kisara's tablet?" he asked. Seth said nothing, and increased his speed again, flying directly into the source of the light with Seto following him. Seto felt a massive force pull him back, like the feeling when an aeroplane is landing and the pilot has put the reverse engines into whack. Both Seto and Seth had stopped, and Seto's feet found a surface to stand on, while Seth stayed hovering.

"_Seto...?_"

Seto did not need ears or eyes to know who was standing there it. His breath was caught in his throat and his lungs and heart collapsed. They began to run towards each other, leaping into each other's arms. Seto had never held anyone so tightly. He wrapped his wings around her and rubbed his cheek in her soft hair. Kisara wrapped her arms around his neck and ran her fingers through his hair. How? After so long? Seto's mouth found hers and he kissed her deeply and tenderly. When the couple finally broke apart, they saw Seth concealing - with difficulty - a grin.

"Thank you, thank you so much..." Seto whispered.

**"Heh."** he said, **"5000 years, you deserve it."**

"What of the other Gods?"

**"They have no part in this." **he said, knowing that Isis would hate him for a few centuries for using her own quote against her.

"Not even Lady Ma'at?"

Seth snorted. **"Ma'at has been impossible ever since she discovered she could send people to Purgatory with the wave of a hand. However, there must be a price for you. You must choose."**

As Seto looked to the great God, he knew exactly what he meant. Either he must become mortal, or she must become immortal. Both came at a cost. He looked into Kisara's eyes, knowing that she understood too.

"Seto, you cannot become a mortal..." she said to him, her voice more serious than he had ever heard it be, "You were born an Angel, you would die immediately if you were made mortal."

"And you cannot become immortal! It is worse than being mortal! You are forced to live. There is no end. Just existence. The only way your existence could be ended would be if a powerful magician destroyed you spiritually, mentally and physically. Being immortal can sometimes be pure torture! I cannot put you through that."

"But the whole point of this is that we will be together." She said, stroking his chest delicately, tears running down her cheeks, "What would the point be if you would just die at the end? I would be left. I could not go on without you. And, the Pharaoh and the Queen need you too."

"Kisara..." he whispered, "The price of a God making you immortal could be anything..."

"We can take that chance." she turned to Seth, "We have chosen."

**"Very well." **the God replied, **"As I would have it, for the service both of you have done to Egypt and indeed all humanity, there would be no consequence. However** **I do not possess the power to perform such Magic, my domain is over storms, war, destruction, chaos, waters and deserts, but not over humanity. There will be a vote cast by the Supremes, then the judgment will be made by Rê. Is this still the path you choose?"**

"Yes." Seth replied, and Seth nodded.

**"Then so shall it be."

* * *

**

**"I walk with angels all the way, They shield me and befriend me;  
All Satan's pow'r is held at bay when heav'nly hosts attend me;  
They are my sure defense, all fear and sorrow, hence!  
Unharmed by foes, do what they may, I walk with angels all the way."**  
TLH 413:4; LW 391:4

**Chapter Five: I walk with Angels all the way.**

"Okay..." said Kaiba, "I thought you were a bit demented before but now I think you are totally mad."

"Quite possibly, Magic is mad Kaiba, it defies every law of sanity and science ever put into place." Rehkyt chuckled.

"_You _think _he's _in there?" he said, pointing at the tablet, "Can anybody verify that?"

"Errrrrryeeeeaaaaahhhheeeeeeehhhhhnnnnnoooooo. Eeh, no." said Gabriel, shaking his head.

"Shut up."

"Noooooooooooooooo!"

"Argh!!!!!!!"

"Cool it guys!" Yugi yelled, and Kaiba and Gabriel stood with their arms folded and their backs to each other.

"So, what are we gonna do?" asked Téa, "We can't..."

"They aren't inside it anymore." said Gabriel slowly, "I know where they are."

"Well get us there!" Rehkyt yelled, nearly blasting out everyone's eardrums.

"I, I can't guys, it's forbidden. A no-can-do."

"What??? I don't care!!! Get us there now!!!" Rehkyt ordered.

"Yer don't understand sweetheart! I could lose my wings if I do!!! I..." Gabriel saw everyone's faces, "You're... You're really serious?"

"We are surprised that you are not." said Rehkyt.

"Then... I... I guess I can't say no..."

"YES!!!"

"But, yer gotta understand though; humans aren't allowed up _there_." he said, jabbing a finger towards where ceiling, "So you guys gotta be discreet, yer get it?"

"We get it."

"Okay. Brace yourselves mates."

* * *

"Where are we?" Kisara asked as she, Seto and Seth found themselves standing on what felt like a stage where they were pouring smoke over the sides. They were stood in what looked like what the Grand Hall Imperial Palace used to look like, except this was oh so much grander. Higher, wider, everything-er. Beautiful flowers and vines climbed the white and gold walls, except on the right hand side, where the wall was constructed of everlasting waterfalls, and the ceiling... The ceiling was non-existant. Just sky. And light from the Sun. 

"Wait here. I shall soon return." Seth said, and Seto and Kisara watched as his tall form exited through the water, his shadow becoming ever fainter, until it was totally mingled with the water itself, and was gone. Kisara was confused, but Seto was not so. He had been here before.

"This is the Palace of the Gods." he explained softly, "Do not be afraid."

"I am not." she assured him, the spray from the fountain refreshing on her face, "Not yet, anyway."

A sound from behind the fountains made their heads snap up, and they didn't have to strain their ears, they could have heard it if they had been one hundred miles away.

_"Uh-oh..." _Seto thought, _"I know that shriek..."_

Isis burst through the fountain in a flurry of scaves/belts, her hazel eyes flaring with what was almost vengence. Seto stood up straight and glared back, his wings surrounded himself and Kisara, seemingly shielding her from the goddess' wrath. He gripped her upper arm tightly to stop her from falling to the ground in a bow.

**"Seth!!!" **she shrieked, her voice was deafening, **"How _dare _you!!!! What is the meaning of this _folly_???!!!"**

Seth stood seemingly oblivious to his sister's protests, he was used to them, after all. Isis glared at the couple, and then to him, and when she realised that he was not responding, nor would she ever achieve a response from him, she returned her glare to Seto and Kisara.

**"Hello Seto." **she said, so calmly it was clear that as soon as he came close enough she would strangle him, **"My, how you have grown. It has been a _very _long time."** she mused.

Seto didn't answer.

**"And this girl..." **she continued, **"Who are you?" **

"K...Ki... Kisara, Almightly Lady..."

**"Ah yes, the holder of the White Dragon. But, why do you not bow?"**

**"Seto is_ welcome _among my family."** Seth injected, hissing.

**"And you wish to extend the honour." **said Isis, and the couple nodded determindly. Isis tightened her lower lip in a face that clearly said 'I-don't-really-have-time-let-alone-energy-for-this'. She turned on her heel and snapped; **"Come with us."

* * *

**

"Pwhoa! Crikey!"

Rehkyt, Atem, Yugi, Rhia, Kaiba, Mokuba and Téa all rolled their eyes and gave an exhausted "Gabriel".

"What d'I do?" he shrugged, and they all turned around again, "I've never been to the Palace of the Egyptian Gods before." he exclaimed, "Although I think it's the biggest. I work mainly for his High Lordship Yahweh of the Holy Trinity,sometimes even for the Greek Gods, but never the Egyptians. Wow, it's a bit posh ain't it?"

"Priest Seto's in there?" asked Mokuba, "Wow. And we are getting in unseen, how?"

"Hey, don't say I didn't warn yer..."

"I think Gabriel as the, uh, lead Angel here should go in first." said Atem reluctantly.

"Whoa now mate! I'm not lead Angel!"

"Well I thought the wings had something to do with it..."

"It's Kaiba."

"WWWWWWWWHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTT???????????!!!!!!!!!!!!????????????" everyone - including Kaiba - yelled.

"Oi, I'm just a Cherub. Kaiba's a Seraph."

"Well I think Midget Pharaoh should go first." Kaiba snapped.

"Hey, I..."

"Shut up Gabriel."

"Oh for Rê's sake I'll go first!!!" Rehkyt announced, and Atem gave the others a look that said 'never-question-one's-wife-and-expect-to-live'. The others got the message. Rehkyt extended her arm and reached for the heavy door, and stopping before her fingers brushed the panels.

"What's up?"

"Uh..." Rehkyt began, but the door swung open, revealing a massive, and I mean _massive_ foyer. A short, thin woman wearing a white dress and a yellow rose in her hair poked her head around the door.

**"Who are you?" **she asked.

"The former Pharaoh Atem and Queen Rehkyt of Egypt and respective reincarnations..." Atem announced, "And, this is Seto and Mokuba Kaiba, Tea Gardner, all accompanied by the Angel Gabriel."

Gabriel saluted. "G'day milady."

**"Oh." **she said dumbly, **"I am Pakhet, goddess of plenty. Can I help you?"**

"Actually, we were just looking for an Angel, looks sorta like this guy." said Gabriel, pointing at Kaiba, who glared.

**"Ah..."** said Pakhet, **"You look just like... Follow me. Come in! Come in children!"**

"Children? I'm over 2000 years old sweetheart." Gabriel muttered.

"Ha, I can top that. Atem and I are 5000 years old." said Rehkyt.

"Partypooper."

"Cool it guys." Téa injected.

**"The Seraph of whom you speak is currently speaking with the Higher Gods. You will have to wait a while."**

"Well done Seto." Atem muttered sarcastically, "Then how come you're not there?"

**"I am not a Higher God. I am minor." **Pakhet shrugged.

"Oh. I think I know what's going on..." he said to himself. He was catching on. Of course! Seto and Kisara wanted to be together...

"Yer know, for a goddess, you're not very scary." said Gabriel.

**"Come, come, follow me..."

* * *

**

**"If you are so aware of the terms of your Vow as an Angel, young one, then why do you approach us now?"**

The Great God of the Sun Rê stood. It had been so long since he had seen Seto, 5000 years, to be exact, and even then, Seto had been thirteen or so. His biological age was now eighteen, even though he too was an immortal spirit. He was difficult to recognise. But Rê had not forgotton, for the Sun God forgets no one. He had a human appearance, but with more gold adornments than all the others put together. The irises in his eyes actually looked like the Sun, and they beat down with rays of heat upon anyone they saw.

"Almighty One, as yourself and the other Gods that stand alongside you, I was born into the human race. I was raised there, as yourselves, and I was subjected to human ways, as yourselves also were. And as history has proven before, all beings are equal when it comes to love." Seto said.

**"The shackles of love are opponents against whom I thought I would never see you struggle, Seto." **said another goddess who was sat to the right of Isis. It could only have been Lady Sekhmet, the goddess of war and sickness, as she was the only woman there who was wearing the garb of a male Mage.

"If your Ladyship will phrase it that way." said Seto stiffly, knowing that she wanted to see his reaction to the referral of shackles. It was rather degrading to mention 'being tied down in any way' to a high-flying, freedom-loving Seraph. Plus, she knew that Seto was proud, and would be disgusted at the thought of any kind of weakness or being in any situation of weakness.

**"I see that your sentiments overcome your pride." **she said.

"I understand that this request does not come without a price." he continued.

**"In normal circumstances, the price would be far far greater, but considering the services that both of you have done for Egypt, and the pain those services induced, it will be lessened." **a goddess on the right of Lord Seth said. She wore a long purple dress and a crown similar to Isis'. A small yet warm smile formed on her beautiful face. Nephthys. Lady Nephthys was charged with the protection of the respective Pharaoh, but she was Seth's beloved wife, and she too, had a warm spot for Seto. **"And your prior connections with us will also be a factor, I am sure."**

Seto and Kisara saw Isis shoot a death glare at her sister, who narrowed her eyes in return, which clearly said 'back off'.

**"You may go now."** said Rê authoritivley, **"Wait outside, we shall make our verdict."

* * *

**

"Seto! What's going on???" Atem demanded.

Kisara curtsied. "My Pharaoh, my Queen."

"Welcome back Kisara." said Rehkyt happily.

_So that's Kisara...// _Rhia projected from her soul room, _Hmmm, she doesn't seem like Seto's type.//_

_Well, they say opposites attract. And believe me, there's more than attraction going on there./ _

"You know very well what is going on, Atem." said Seto somewhat quietly.

"Do I?"

"Yes. Do you mean to tell me that you would do otherwise, were you in my position?"

"Well... no... I..."

"Then I have nothing more to say." he said, his usual sharper tone taking dominance again. Everyone could hear various voices chattering, some shrieks - from whom Seto knew had to be Isis - and occasional periods of quiet. There was another horrendous uproar, and then silence.

Silence?

Their heads snapped around as the massive doors flung open, revealing a tall female figure.

Isis.

In only three lengthy strides, before Seto could even move, she reached out, placed both hands on Kisara's shoulders, and shoved. Hard. Kisara's slim form seemed to crumple like a piece of material and her eyes suddenly went round like saucers, and then fell closed like a broken window-blind. Seto gasped and caught her just before she hit the floor, and shook her gently a few times.

"Kisara... Kisara! Wake up!"

There was no response. He desperately felt for a pulse, and found it alright, but her body temperature had dropped considerably, and then, Seto remembered holding her cold body after she had sacrificed herself for him. That was how she felt now...

_"No!!!!!!!!!"_

Seto looked up at Isis, his eyes flashing with an animal-like fury, almost blasting to smithereens anyone who came into their path.

"_What did you do???!!!!!!!!!!!!_" he seethed, feeling his power ignite inside him. It surged, and he began to see a faint blue light tainting his entire vision almost lost himself in it. The white light that shone when he first unfolded his wings was glowing, and Isis frowned slightly as it became brighter, and also bluer until it was a little brighter then his tunic and seemed to have dashes of purple and lighter blue.

Through the blue, he saw Sekhmet and her sort-of-sister Hathor appear in the doorway. On seeing his reaction, Sekhmet's face was a combination of pride and worry. Hathor looked vaguely serene, as Hathor always did, but narrowed her eyes in thought.

**"We have a proposition."** Isis said, folding her arms, **"If you can fight, and defeat Lady Sekhmet, then I shall revive your love. If not, then your request is not worthy of our approval."**

Seto saw. He painfully realised why they had done this. His love for her was eternal, and seeing her cold like that again had fuelled his anger to such an extent that power he never knew he had radiated from him like heat from the Sun. The more he loved her, the more his power would increase.

Enough to defeat Sekhmet.

His rage was gone. "I accept."

* * *

**_"Thorns and stings  
And those such things  
Just make stronger  
Our Angel wings."  
_**Emme Woodhull-Bäche. 

**Chapter 6: Triumph all ye Seraphim**

**"So be it."** said Lady Sekhmet, unfolding her own wings, which, unlike Seto's or Gabriel's, seemed irrepairably ruffled and untidy, and were bloodstained in several places - one evern looked crooked, like it was broken, and were a nasty contrast to her attire, which was flawlessly pristine. Her black hair was bound back tightly in an Ancient Chinese-style and her eyes were dull and emotionless, set only on the task before her, like Kaiba's usually were. She wore a belt full of knives, there were two sabres bound to each leg, and two swords. To put it simply, she would not have looked out of place in the Russian Mafia, apart from the fact she wasn't wearing black. She took off into the air, forming a thermal ball of energy in her hand. Seto was airborne in a second, easily dodging the ball of energy, which crashed to the ground and hit the steps infront of the door, throwing Lady Hathor off her feet. Gabriel and Rehkyt put up a deflection shield around them, but Kaiba was doubtful.

_"That shield will never hold." _he thought grimly as he watched his past incarnation evade another attack, _"If an attack hits, be it his or hers, it will wipe everything in a five-mile radius."_

"This will never hold Rehkyt." Atem warned.

"I know, but it will not be for lack of trying." she replied.

* * *

The fight was only just getting warmed up, and Lady Sekhmet began to throw her knives. Her aim was infalliable, and it took a deflection shield on Seto's part to bounce them off. He was desperately thinking of a strategy. Something. Anything! Soon she would start using her full power, and if he didn't have something good, he would be destroyed. _And Kisara..._

Seto turned to face her and flew backwards and up, now what could he do. The goddess of war and sickness... The goddess of war and sickness... Before, Rê had defeated her lioness form by putting red dye in ale, making her think it was blood so she drank it and fell asleep. She wouldn't fall for the same trick twice. But how many people had she killed then? Hundreds. Magicians and mortals alike. So why couldn't she catch one particularly lovestruck Seraph?

A little lightbulb would have appeared over Seto's head. She was the goddess of war. Her domain was on the ground. That was it. He was wondering why she just hadn't flown up alongside him and sunk a sword into him. That was why. She couldn't keep up with him. This was turning into a race. She could only throw attacks at him. Of course, she was stronger in physical combat. Unfortunately, that didn't affect her aim or power. As was about to be proven.

He felt a sharp, deep pain course up his calf, and as he gave himself a split second to look down, be realised that one of her knives had hit its target. The pain worsened and the white cloth around his leg was red with blood. He cursed and shot lightning bolts at her, which hit and made her fall for a few seconds, giving him time to yank the knife out and self-Heal it. Seconds, however, was all that he had. She was back on his tail.

_"I need to attack with something unexpected."_ he thought, _"She must know all the attacks I can throw at her. What will she not expect...?"_

He used Electrokinesis again, stronger this time, hitting her and surrounding her with bright light. She screamed and fell again, further this time, only just recovering in time to do an emergency save before hitting the ground. Seto used the time to fly ever higher, turned to face her again, and closed his eyes.

"Master Seth, grant me control of your domain." he said, holding out his arms to either side and calling on more power. A powerful wind blew, and dark, dark clouds formed above him. Thunder rumbled, and Lady Sekhmet slowed on her ascent.

**"Weather-working?!"** she shrieked, **"But...You are a mere Seraph... You cannot..."**

Meanwhile, on the ground, Isis was not so surprised.

"Lord Seth taught me well!!!" he snarled, as a lightning bolt came crashing down from behind him, hitting her with so much force that it sent her back a good 100 meters. She screamed as pain and humiliation lingered, and decided to use a new attack.

A wave of nausea made Seto keel over, clutching his stomach in agony. He felt his skin shiver and begin to cold-sweat. His saliva tasted like ink and he desperately fought to stop himself from being sick. His head ached and he could almost feel his immune system crashing and burning. Lady Sekhmet laughed insanely, and Seto felt his power involuntarily flare again. There was no giving up. He conjured a wind and put it into a vortex, creating a massive tornado. He released it straight at her, and as it collided with her, he commanded two bolts of lightning to strike her. Again, she fell nearly to the ground, and saved herself, again. Seeing Rehkyt and Gabriel holding a shield around the humans, Lady Sekhmet smirked. She sent out a beam of bright destructive telekinetic energy down on the shield, battering it hard. Rehkyt and Gabriel screwed their eyes shut and gritted their teeth as if they were no longer able to breathe.

They couldn't last much longer.

Kaiba's response was almost a reflex, and certainly quicker than one. He practically threw himself between Mokuba and Téa and slapped his palms against the shield along with Gabriel and Rehkyt. The shield glowed faintly as Kaiba's own power replenished and strengthed it at least fivefold. Gabriel and Rehkyt took deep breaths and continued to hold the shield, finding it easier with Kaiba's assistance.

Damn. He had just lost his and Seto's little wager.

Atem and the others nearly fainted. Who was this and what had they done with Kaiba? And how long was he staying?

He had just saved their lives.

Kaiba felt strangely content as he poured power into the shield. It was as if all his burdens had been lifted, and he was free. Although this was far from the case, he found himself greatly enjoying this thrill that he himself had never stimulated before. He looked up and saw Seto smile brightly, and call another lightening bolt. Lady Sekhmet's eyes flew open as the high voltage shocked her again, but she had no more energy left to Heal herself. She crashed to the ground, folding in her wings as she did, and lay there, too embarrassed and too weak to move. Isis face was one of horror, but even she was convinced. Seto let the skies clear, thanking his namesake again and again, and flew down to ground again, landing softly, but tenderly. The others let down the shield and ran over to him.

"Y'alright there mate?" asked Gabriel, letting the exhaused Seto hang off his shoulder, "For a moment there we thought yer were in big trouble."

"Kisara..." Seto whispered as he made his feet support him and took painful steps towards her. Rehkyt held her hand out, but Atem gently held her wrist and put it down. Seto fell to his knees by Kisara's side, and pulled her into his lap. As he felt a shadow fall over him, he looked up. Isis tall form stood over him, her eyes bright, smiling sweetly.

**"Only once before have I seen a man go to such lengths for a woman." **she said kindly, **"As a goddess of women, I guard them, sometimes from the love of men itself, as men are often inconsistent and cause much pain. You are of a rare breed, young Seto; you are a good man. You are a good Angel. This has not gone unnoticed. It is my decision that you deserve her as much as she deserves you. As I decree, so shall it be."**

Isis closed her eyes gently, and held her palms out over Kisara. A lilac glow erupted from her hands and shone down upon her, making her body glow a silver light. Isis stopped, but the silver continued. It was done.

Kisara's eyes flickered open as the silver light faded and found herself looking into Seto's. He smiled weakly and wrapped his arms around her. Isis took a few steps back and let the others run to their side. Atem and Rehkyt knelt by their side and Rehkyt kissed Seto's cheeks and hugged he and Kisara to death. Gabriel, Téa, Kaiba and Mokuba looked on, Téa was teary and holding a tissue to her eyes, Gabriel sniffed and looked like he was about to start sobbing, and Téa offered him a tissue on which he blew his nose hard. Mokuba was grinning from ear to ear, and Kaiba...

Well, at first Kaiba's face was as it usually was, pretty unimpressed. But he betrayed himself and let a small yet definate smile across his lips.

_Rehkyt!!! Is Kaiba _smiling Rhia asked, and Rehkyt chuckled.

_Only Rê himself knows./ _said Rehkyt, _Such philosophical issues are not worth dwelling on./_

_Hmhm... Yeah! I think we should celebrate!//_

_If we can convince Gabriel to get us down again, then I'll hold you to that./_

As the group gathered around Gabriel for the trip back down to Earth, Isis called out one last time.

"**Rhiannon."**

"Yes, milady?" She said, turning and bowing to pay due respect.

"**It will do you good to remember that you are never alone."** With that, the large group left, and it gave Rhia something to ponder on.

**

* * *

**

"Hey Mokuba..." Gabriel said, leaning down to whisper something in Mokuba's ear.

Mokuba grinned. "Yeah!"

"No!!!!! Seto you can't work!!!!!!!!! I will absolutely positively _not _allow it!!! You are coming down here whether you like it or not!!!"

Kaiba mock-rolled his eyes and turned around to face his brother, who was hanging off the end of his sleeve to stop him from ascending up the stairs to his home-office.

"C'mon!!!!!! Everybody's here anyway and I told the maids to fix up some party stuff already!!! You've gotta be there!"

"Mokuba there is no way I will be caught dead at a tea party with the dweeb patrol!"

"They're not the dweeb patrol big brother, and it's not like Joey or Tristan are here or anything!"

"I think Gabriel makes up for those losses."

"Seto!"

"And what are you gonna do hm?" he asked playfully.

"I'll get Priest Seto to control your mind!!!"

"Fine. I'm coming. Just as long as you didn't invite Ishizu and Marik." he gave in, and Mokuba grinned.

"No, I wouldn't do that to you. Actually, there was something else I thought you'd like to come for."

"Oh and what's that?"

Mokuba snickered. "Gabriel on the karaoke machine."

"This I gotta see! Oh, and, what were you rummaging around in the garage for just now?"

"You'll see!"

The elder Kaiba brother, his sleeve still stuck in his little brother's hand, was dragged into the lounge, where Téa was helping Gabriel set up the karaoke machine, and Rehkyt and Atem, along with Rhia and Yugi in their spirit forms, were chatting with Seto and Kisara, who were showing the classic symptoms of being truely in love for the first time.

_"Nice going Priest." _he thought, they all plopped themselves down on the nearest sofa as the maids came in brandishing trays of sweets, cookies, fizzy drinks, chocolate, everything.

"Wow where the Hell did they get all this stuff?" Kaiba asked. Mokuba looked guilty.

"Guilty." he said.

"Hey, thanks for putting in an appearance Kaiba." said Rehkyt, smiling happily.

"I'm here to laugh at Gabriel and to laugh at Gabriel only." he said, smirking slightly. Mokuba got up and grabbed the mike, running to where everyone could see him.

He cleared his throat. "Ladles and Jellyspoons..."

The others all started spitting out their drinks, except Kaiba, who struggled but managed to keep it down.

"_Ladles _and _Jellyspoons_???!!!"

"Y'know, like 'ladies and gentlemen', just 'ladles and jellyspoons'?"

"No I don't know. Never, say that again."

"Sorry. Ladles and jellyspoons, cups and cupcakes of all ages..." they spat out their drinks again, "Today we are most honoured to lend our stage to the one, and only Cherub of Swing, please give it up for the Angel Gabriel!!!"

Mokuba flicked the lights down, and...

_Bicycle..._

Kaiba groaned out loud and the others all anime fell.

_Bicycle... Bicycle..._

There was a pause, before a would-be unrecognisable figure wearing what appeared to be a Darth Vadar costume plus light sabre minus helmet came pedalling into view on a...

_"I want to ride my tricycle,_

_I want to ride my trike;_

Everyone burst out into laughter, including Kaiba and Seto, who were grinning to stop themselves from laughing.

_I want to ride my tricycle,_

_I want to ride it where I like;_

_You say black; I say white,_

Gabriel whipped out and started waving the light sabre around...

_You say bark; I say bite,_

_You say shark; I say hey man,_

_Jaws was never my scene_

_And I don't like Star Wars._

At that line, He threw off the cape and light sabres. He was amazingly out of time, but his tuning wasn't bad... That bad...

_You say Rolls; I say Royce,_

_You say God; give me a choice,_

_You say Lord; I say Christ,_

_I don't believe in Peter Pan,_

_Frankenstein or Superman,_

_All I wanna do is_

_I want to ride my tricycle_

_I want to ride my trike_

_I want to ride my tricycle_

_I want to ride my_

_Tricycle races are coming your way_

_So forget all your duties oh yeah!_

_Fat bottomed girls they'll be riding today_

_So look out for those beauties oh yeah_

_On your marks get set go_

_Tricycle race tricycle race tricycle race_

_Tricycle tricycle tricyIe want to ride my tricycle_

_Tricycle tricycle tricycle_

_Tricycle race!!!_

_You say coke I say caine_

_You say John I say Wayne_

_Hot dog I say cool it man_

_I don't wanna be the President of America_

_You say smile I say cheese_

_Cartier I say please_

_Income tax I say Jesus_

_I don't wanna be a candidate_

_For Vietnam or Watergate_

_Cos all I want to do is_

_Tricycle tricycle tricycle_

_I want to ride my tricycle tricycle tricycle_

_I want to ride my tricycle_

_I want to ride my trike_

_I want to ride my tricycle_

_I want to ride it where I like!!!!!!!!!!"_

"YOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"GABRIEL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Gabriel got off the tricycle and bowed, and the others took an opportunity to throw sweets at him.

For once in his life, Kaiba found himself not minding. _"The maids can clean it up." _he thought. But there was so much that the maids couldn't clear up. That no one could clear up. He excused himself in the way that he usually did, and went to rummage in the kitchen for some Paracetamol. As he did, his mind wondered back to how they all ended up there in the first place. He remembered the elation from the first time he flew. He remembered the fear, the self-bullying, the mind-control, and then he glanced back at Seto through the door. He was sat snuggled up next to Kisara with his arms around her; both of them were nearly asleep. _"He's tired." _

He had learnt something over these past few days. That there are two sides to everyone. Even every Angel who dared to call himself Seto, Priest or otherwise. Seto's words replayed in his mind;

_" 'Would you never exercise your powers again? Not once? Not if your life depended on it? Never? Could you do that?' " _

From all of this, the one thing he could say for definite was that tomorrow, he would be back in his office. And the day after, and the day after. And although Seraphim don't generally work in offices, even they, I am told; find salvation in themselves at the end of the day.

* * *

Voila! What did you think? I know you liked it. I loved it! And, just to remind you of where we left off, here's the end of chap 11 again. 

But t's a modified version. The beginning of chap 12 different than where I thought it would be, so I had to change the end of chap 11 a bit. No worries, it's just a flashback, really.

Here it it:

...Millennium Necklace and tossed it to Rhia. She caught it, and Rehkyt also claimed a body.

"Now to start the game. Diabound, COME OUT!" Bakura commanded, calling the long-unused Kaa to the field.

"Everyone, call your Kaa's!" Rehkyt ordered.

"What? How?" asked Rhia.

"Remember our training sessions?"

Flashback

"The Kaa is the spirit, the Ba is the soul." Atem said as he began his lecture on the Ba and Ka. They were in the living room. The furniture had been moved to the far side of the wall for space. Yugi and Rhia were sitting next to each other and Atem was facing them, his back to the window. Rehkyt was off to the side watching. "The Ka is a reflection of the Ba, and shows itself as a monster most similar to it as possible when summoned."

"But the Dark Magician isn't your personal Ka, nor is the Blue-Eyes White Dragon Kaiba's." Yugi said, questioning.

"That is because the Dark Magician is no normal Ka. Mahado fused himself to his Ka then made an eternal pledge." He was silent for a moment. Pain and sadness flickered through his eyes for an instant as he remembered. Then Atem continued, placing the mask back on. "I will not even try to understand what happened between Kisara and Priest Seto. Also, summoning my Ka is more difficult, as it is the fusion of the three Egyptian Gods." Yugi nodded in understanding. "To summon your personal Ka, you must gather your magic and center it. Then think about your personality. Not just the positive attributes, but also the negative ones as well, or this won't work. Also, think about how others view you." Rhia had a small ball of green light in front of her chest, while Yugi had a gold one. "To release, it would be like pushing the magic out of you." The colored magical balls started to move from their creators, but Atem stopped them. "But don't do it now, as it takes much energy and we have other things to practice."

End Flashback

"Yeah!" Exclaimed Rhia.

"Then do it!" Barked Atem

After four separate flashes of colored light, all the Kaas were out. Atem had Dark Magician; Yugi had Silent Magician, which was at lv.3. Rehkyt had Wingweaver, a monster that in the card game had 2750 attack points, and Rhia had Harpie girl, which only had 500 attack points in the game.

Rhia! Stay out of this fight! Your Kaa isn't strong enough!

* * *

Ok, now this is really done. Chapter 12 of Illusory Love should be out by the end of March. 


	13. Oshimai Jikoku

FINALLY! You probably all hate me for making you wait so long. Well, ummm...oops? This is the real chapter 12(13?) that you have been waiting so long for. And I absolutely love this chapter. Yes, I said that last chap(11) this would be the last chap in the story, but the rewrite changed all that. There will be two, MAYBE three more chapters after this. That's the plan, anyways. (looks at betas)

I'm gonna rant here for a while. I've been holding this in for months. And it raises the word count on this chap:).

The story on why this took so long. This chap was originally 10 pages long in Word with 14 font. I send to a beta, and get it back with 14 pages of corrections. To those of you who I told who the beta was, please keep it quiet. Anyways, I don't get started on corrections right away. I see so many corrections and get scared. I wait nine days before I'm even able to think about getting started again. I still haven't looked through all the corrections. I don't know if I ever will...

Well, I got a friend to tell me the gist of the corrections, and from there, I got writing. During the snowstorm on Valentine's Day(i think) I finally got the final idea for this chap. I finish it(or so I think) and send off to betas. I get it back from one(WildEm) and the whole last half is completely rewritten. I loved the rewrite, so I didn't have the heart to delete her changes and tell her to "stick to the script". So I rewrite the ending _AGAIN. _Well, it came out for the better. And my final beta kept adding things(as we're neighbors). I finally told them to stop and just get it done. I send it again to the beta who gave me 14 pages of corrections, and she just finished correcting it with no extra pages of notes! And so, the story of this story ends. And this took a process of about a month and a half.

Note to _**DragonDancer1014**_: Harada is Rhiannon's last name! Mentioned in chap 4 I think. "The Rending"

Thanks to betas: _**Feariefighting101, DragonDancer1014, WildEm**_, and _**dhemphryslayer**_(forgive me for bad spelling on her name) Everyone, _**dhemphryslayer**_ is NOT on fanfiction. That's just the screename she uses on her website.

Thanks to reviewers! Without you guys I might've given up on this thing this chap!! Credit to morale boosters goes to...(drumroll)

_**WildEm, Valinor's Twilight, Thomas Drovin, Mei1105, the.phantom.banana, Kanashimi no Tenshi, Dark Raku, Antifish, DragonDancer1014, Namonaki Pharaoh**_(r u the Namonaki on YGO Legends??), _**Anime WarriorSkye**_(sorry I didn't send to you, no time), _**Hedwig the MilleniumOwl**_(Are you alive?), _**Flamescythe, Dakura Deoman**_(how are you?), _**DJ Shortstop Clue**_(your turn!), _**Divine Crimson Rose, perceptive dreamer, Angel's Nocturne, animeluver911, Mystic Chaos, Feariefighting101, Golden Lily Dew, White Dragon Girl,**_ and _**16forever**_!!!

(sigh) I remember when I could count the reviewers on my hand. I had to write down all your names! C'mon, just a little bit more and I'll hit 100! Please??

OI! You people that have my fic on alerts/favorites(kcosmo, anime-reader-only) WHY AREN'T YOU REVIEWING?

Notes: Hypothermia- you shiver to keep warm. If you stop shivering and are still out in the cold, you're dead. If you resume shivering after not, you have some kind of will to live.

And gods like to refer to themselves in the plural. Heh.

Well, I'll stop ranting now. You deserve it.

Disclaimer: I don't own, you idiotic lawyers! Unless you want to join Bakura's sticky fate? (sorry Bakura fans!) I don't own Evanescence either. Fans, get out your "Fallen" Cd and play "Bring Me To Life."

* * *

Chapter 12

Oshimai Jikoku

(Closing Moments)

//Rhia to Rehkyt//

\Rehkyt to Rhia\

:: Yugi to Atem::

: Atem to Yugi:

What? But-

\No 'buts' Rhia! Get behind us, NOW!\ Rehkyt projected angrily to her hikari, leaving said hikari rather pissed off.

//Humph!// With an annoyed glare, Rhia reluctantly got behind the others. _'I could still fight! Sure, Harpie Girl isn't the strongest of monsters, but she's fast, and could get into places that the others couldn't.'_ Coming out of her thoughts, she turned her eyes to the battle.

"Diabound, Spiral Wave!" bellowed Bakura. Dark Magician automatically dodged, but the attack missed only by inches.

"Dark Magic attack!"

"Silent Curse!" Yugi yelled at the same time. The attacks left Diabound dazed, as well as Bakura. Wingweaver and Rehkyt quickly followed up.

"Burning Light of Hope!" A small ball of light and heat gathered in the fairy's hands, and then expanded as it was pushed away. That attack did the most damage, as it burned a large amount of Diabound's skin. The spell casters and fairy backed off as the cobra/tail snapped at each of them. Unfortunately, Silent Magician backed up into a corner. Yugi's eyes went wide as he saw this. Bakura smirked when he saw that the Ka was a sitting duck.

"Heh. Too bad for you. Get him, Diabound!" The half-humanoid-half snake went to grab Yugi's magician when the magician pulled something unexpected out of his hat.

"Magical Hats!" Yugi quickly said.

"What the hell? I only thought the Dark Magician could do that." Bakura said, somewhat shocked, as he whipped around trying to find all the hats. They surrounded Diabound, one in front; though that quickly disappeared, as the Ka's hand went through it, one behind him, and one to the left and right.

"You forget, all spell casters can use that trick." Yugi quipped. "Silent Magician, Sonic Boom!" The red and black clad magician appeared from the hat behind Diabound and attacked. The force of the attack slammed Bakura's ka straight into the wall. Bakura's back arched as he spat out quite a large amount of blood.

While the psycho wiped away the last bit of blood from his chin, an idea hit him. He would use the same strategy Yugi did against him.

"Diabound, phase into the floor!" Rehkyt, Yugi and Atem all rushed him, but Bakura smirked and shook his head. "Ah, ah, ah! I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"And why not?" Rehkyt said through gritted teeth.

"Because you haven't seen where Diabound came up," Rehkyt, Atem, and Yugi figured it out as soon as Bakura finished that simple statement.

_Behind Rhia._

"Rhiannon, _move!_" Rehkyt screeched. It was too late. The Spiral Wave was already moving towards her. Rhia began to run to her counterpart but it was too late, both her and her Ka got a face full of Spiral Wave. The attack engulfed them both. One could only see their outlines, and the outline of Harpie Girl quickly disappeared. Then came the scream. It affected Yugi, Atem and Rehkyt like a bullet to the heart, and it scarred their minds permanently. Rehkyt would hear this scream in her nightmares for years to come. To Bakura, it was sweet music. He had really gotten them this time.

The attack faded away, and Rhia was slumped against the wall that Diabound disappeared from. Alone where she sat was a hole, marking the spot where her back took most of the impact. It was a miracle that she was still alive. Blood was everywhere, flowing down her temple and staining her clothing. Her right arm was bent at the elbow, though it was twisted in the wrong direction. Looking at it would make anyone's stomach turn. Her left arm hung uselessly by her side from it being forced out of the socket. Her breathing was shallow, raspy, and uneven, like it was hard to intake the air around her.

"Rhiannon!" Rehkyt moved as if to run over to her hikari and check on her, but Atem's hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"You can't just run and turn your back on Bakura and his Ka," Atem whispered.

"I don't care! She's my hikari and she just got hurt. Ra have mercy on anyone who tries to keep me from her, because I won't!" she said vehemently.

"I know. That's why we're all going over to her. Just go slowly, and keep your eyes on Bakura and Diabound." They lurched away from their foe, slowly getting closer and closer to Rhia. Rehkyt took longer steps and got to her first, but Yugi was the first to speak. His voice was a bit shaky. The state that Rhia was in scared him. So much blood…

"Go ahead. We-" He shook his head, needing to keep focused. "We'll watch your back." Rehkyt didn't hear him; she had already knelt next to her other half and was trying to get a response out of her, after a minute, she got one.

"Nnngh," Her eyes fluttered and then opened. "Rehkyt? What happened?"

"You're awake! Thank Ra!"

"Rehkyt," Rhia's voice was soft and weak. "Why am I so numb?"

"Sh…" Rehkyt shushed her. "Everything will be fine, just rest."

"Okay." With that, the hollowness of the dark abyss swallowed her once again. The ancient Queen rose from her knees with a fury building that made Atem's temper look small.

"Yugi," Her voice promised much pain to the object of her fury. "Protect her with everything you've got." Yugi nodded. She looked to Bakura, and he stepped back as her eyes filled with fire and pain.

Rehkyt began to chant.

"_Light and Shadow combine, we submit to You. Balancer, hear us. Our power has been overcome; the evil is tipping the Balance. Right this wrong, our lives are Yours._

_A'nekh tewet, Per-aa, re-a-khet. Kheftey ne Kemet!"_

Rehkyt and Atem blazed with power, the purple and black of the Pharaoh's aura, fused with the yellow and white of his wife's.

The hikaris glowed the same color as their yami counterparts. When suddenly a golden line of power connected the four souls together to form a swirling golden portal to the heavens. Out stepped a woman - if you could call Her a woman, and then only just. The ancient scriptures were off by quite a lot when they described Lady Maat.

She looked a bit like Change of Heart. Nevertheless, the only similarity was that one side of Her was demonic and the other angelic.

The entire left side of her body looked like it was ready to decay. Her skeletal frame barely held her up and was kept together by her leathered, deathly gray skin. The whites around her eyes were yellowed, as if by disease, and the pupil was a reddish-gold. Her wispy ebony hair was cropped short at the jaw. It looked as if she had placed a spider web on for a wig. Her wing was made of all mechanics, the spines were cold hard steel, and the membrane was hooked to the aluminum.

The angelic side was VASTLY different. The wing appeared to be made of unadulterated light. Her hair, the lightest blonde, was full, thick, silky to the touch, and LONG. The skin was a healthy peach color, her cheek rosy. Her kind eye was rounded and deep blue. Her fingers lengthy and delicate, but they had substance. Her frame was full, all the right curves in the right places.

She was hideously beautiful and repulsively attractive all at once.

"**Who has summoned Us here???" **Her lower alto voice boomed, not through their ears, but through their minds, **"We demand an explanation!!!"**

"Great Lady," Rehkyt began. "I humbly request that you grant us relief of this evil! We have tried, at too high a price! We..." Maat held up a hand to stem Rehkyt's plea.

"**And what makes you think that Our price would be any lower?" **the goddess' tone was very like Kaiba's.

"Great One, please, I...I..."

**"Queen Rehkyt... Queen Rehkyt..." **She murmured to herself, snapping Her fingers a few times, **"Ah yes, We remember. Particularly talented in Light Magic, We recall. Ah, how time does fly... King Thief Bakura!!!!" **She hollered, making everyone within a ten-mile radius shudder.

Bakura tried to find some way to twist this event to his advantage. He found none.

"**By Our very name, We condemn you!!! GOODBYE!!!!" **

With that, the Goddess of Truth simply reached out with Her hand, palm towards Bakura, and spoke one word. **"Maaet"**. The magic struck him and roughly pulled his soul apart from Ryou's. For a short moment in time, they both had their own body. Then, Bakura just blew away, disappearing like so much dust in the wind, and all that was left of the legendary Thief King was the Millennium Ring, and his dazed hikari. Ryou, for the most part, fainted into a crumpled heap as soon as Maat's magic was done.

With her job complete, Lady Maat turned back to the one who summoned Her.

"Thank you, Milady, for doing us such a great honor." Atem said as they all bowed, giving the goddess her due respect. Said goddess did nothing but walk forward past them to Rhia. She knelt down next to the wounded teen and touched her forehead with one finger. A gray aura surrounded Rhia before evaporating like mist in the sun.

"Um, Lady Maat," the goddess glanced at Yugi, "no disrespect intended but, what are you doing?"

Lady Ma'at did not answer. Rhia's Millennium Tauk began to glow, not gold like usually, but a sort of flourescent amber.

From her unconscious state, Rhia could hear fuzzy voices, and felt like she was suspended in a massive vat of soft polystyrene beans. She couldn't feel or identify her individual body parts at all, she just existed.

She suddenly felt very scared. Rhia couldn't even hear her own thoughts and the link was all but gone, but one thing was clear to her, she had to get out of unconsciousness. Fast. Good plan, if only there was a way of putting it into motion...

Meanwhile, Atem, Rehkyt, and Yugi watched the goddess.

"**We are the Balancer."** she said slowly, **"And all will be Balanced."**

Atem and Yugi heard a painful groan, and whipped around to see Rehkyt clutching her temples, her eyes squeezed shut.

"Rehkyt!!!" Atem gasped, putting his hands on her arms, "What's wrong? What's happening?! Tell me!!!"

"Atem..." she breathed, shaking as her body began to glow the amber aura. He drew her into a tight embrace, and was shocked at her lack of body heat. Indeed, there was no longer any at all, she was the same temperature as the unit around them.

"Rehkyt, it's alright everything's going to be alright..."

"Atem..." she whispered, her voice barely there either. Then, seemingly out of the blue, she kissed him gently, and said, "I love you..."

Atem's eyes widened as he felt her presence waver and disappear, and looked at the empty space in his arms where his wife had been. His heart pounded and he noticed that the glow on the Tauk had faded and that Lady Ma'at had stood up. Looking at the Tauk, he could tell she wasn't in her soul room. Realization hit him hard, and his spine tightened, his eyes flashing with an anger Yugi had never, ever seen before. His fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles were white and were shaking.

"_What did you **do**???_" his voice boomed at an all time low. The goddess remained expressionless, except for a slight pursing of Her lips.

**"You request the removal of a great evil and do not expect a price? For a great evil to perish, a great good must also be sacrificed."**

"Why Rehkyt???!!!" he fumed, "Why not me??? Hm??? Why not ME???!!!!!!!"

Lady Ma'at looked down her nose at him, indeed, she was quite a few inches taller. **"Our Judgement is _unquestionable_!!!" **she shrieked, **"Obstinate, ungrateful human!!! We have spoken. Farewell!"**

Atem began sprinting towards her, but She disappeared as had Bakura and Atem's fingers just brushed the sand-substance at it disappeared too.

* * *

_Rhia: Flashback_

"_Poor, poor little Rhia. All alone." Bakura cackled._

"_I may be alone now, but Yugi will come to find when he realizes I've been gone to long." The brunette defiantly said, trying to mask her growing fear._

_The thief smirked. "Oh, he'll come, but only when I bring him. But first, I'm going to give you a little gift." The Millennium Ring glowed and Rhia felt a deep, deep chill. But this wasn't a chill that you would feel if you went outside in a T-shirt in December. Oh no, this was a wave of cold that affected the soul._

_Rhia shivered. "Guh, what did you do?"_

_Bakura shrugged. "All I did was give you a nice big dose of doubt and fear."_

_End Flashback_

Rhia felt shock. Did she just see something? Or was it the current chill that had brought it back to the front of her memory? She felt very, very alone, indeed she was, but never this alone. She felt like she was the only person to have survived the end of the world, and was now sitting on a desert island reminiscing. She was in a dream-like state, and her mind quickly took her elsewhere.

_fear/Bakura induced dream: _

"_I've had it with Rhia! All she does is whine about how she got slapped on the back. It's not like it was anything that bad." Yugi scorned a fearful glint in his eyes._

"_I concur. I can no longer stay in a host that is this weak. I have a plan. You will play a Shadow game against her, and when she loses, lock away her soul, so that I have control of the body." Rehkyt proposed, sneering._

"_Deal." Yugi nodded._

_Dream change:_

_Rhia was hit hard by this. She froze in shock, and looked up with fearful eyes, to see none other than Lady Ma'at._

_"W... W... Why?" she sobbed, "H...How..?"_

_**"Your yami has betrayed you." **said the goddess, smirking slightly, **"She thinks only of herself. She did not think what all this would do to you now did she? Do not be so foolish next time. You will not see her again."**_

_Rhia gasped painfully, and tried to follow as Lady Ma'at turned on her heel and retreated. Rhia tried to follow her, but the goddess waved her hands as she disappeared, and Rhia watched as her vision spun, and she found herself standing back in her soul room, but,-and she had no idea how,- 'subzero temperatures' was an understatement._

_End Dream... _

"Right." Yugi nodded and brought out a card. "Rain of Mercy!" The spell card glowed a soft, white light and spread over everyone in the room. Yugi's own minor gashes and random bumps and bruises healed almost instantly. His energy levels rose dramatically, leaving him feeling refreshed. Rhia, though, had a lot more to heal. Her dislocated shoulder and elbow snapped sickeningly into place, her deep gashes closed up and her breathing wasn't so broken.

A groan from the other side of the room signaled that Ryou was stirring.

"Oh dear. Where am I now?" he said, placing a hand to his face to rub away the fatigue. He saw Yugi. "What did my yami do now?" Yugi turned his head.

"Oh, the normal. He tried to kill us and cover the world in darkness." Yugi said, almost flippantly.

"Where are we, anyway?" Ryou asked.

"A storage unit at the harbor."

"Oh. What's wrong?" The albino had noticed that Yugi wasn't his usually cheerful self. "You saved the world again you should be happy."

"It's Rhia. She won't wake up. I played Rain of Mercy but it didn't work. And... Rehkyt..." he tried, but couldn't say it, and jerked his head gently towards Atem, who was on his knees and a step away from being teary.

"Atem..." Ryou blinked. "What's wrong?"

"Rhia's in a coma, and her yami has... just... been taken..." Yugi replied, choking on the words.

Ryou was confused. There was another yami? Rhia had this yami? He was very far out of the loop. However, he ignored these thoughts for now. The questions could be asked later.

"Do you want help getting her home?" he softly asked.

"No," Yugi shook his head. "You go on home."

"I can't leave you guys like this. You just saved me I couldn't go."

"You're tired."

"Not as tired as you are." Ryou answered.

"Okay then." said Yugi, "C'mon we've gotta get her home."

"How? If people see you walking down the street or if you get in a taxi with an unconscious girl in your arms, people are gonna ask questions, she'll be sent to hospital where they'll keep her where you can't help her. And it's your help she needs right now."

Yugi paused for a moment. Ryou was right. There was no way he'd get her home without attracting too much attention. So how could he get from A to B...

"Okay." he said, touching Rhia's cheek softly. He pulled out his mobile from his jacket pocket, blinking a few times as the bright light stunned his eyes, and scrolling down his list of names. He hit the 'call' button, and held it gingerly to his ear. After a few rings, Ryou heard a voice on the other end. Yugi looked relieved.

"Kaiba? It's Yugi..."

* * *

"I don't know whatever gave you the impression that I was a taxi service, Yugi." said Kaiba, disgruntled. He wasn't even sure why he had agreed to help, but Seto would never let him abandon the Pharaoh, and Yugi was only 5000 years off. 

"I know, I know, Kaiba just, please, can you get Ryou, her and I home?"

"By chopper?" asked Ryou. Yugi hadn't really answered any of his questions.

* * *

Rhia opened her eyes and saw nothing. 

No, nothing wasn't accurate. All that was there was a gray expanse. No walls, nothing on the ground. In fact, even the ground was the same dull gray that everywhere else was. She made to get up and groaned. Everywhere on her body was so sore! Wondering why for a moment, it hit her. The attack. The painful white light. Smacking into the wall. A bleary moment where Rehkyt told her to rest and then blissful unconsciousness. After that, waking up in this place.

Ignoring the complaints her body sent her, she stood up. She realized then that she was in her soul room. But when did it get this desolate? The girl shivered. And when did it get this cold? Rhia took a few steps, to get her blood moving, and found she couldn't tell if she had moved at all. She specifically remembered taking the steps, but she couldn't see any difference around her at all that told her that she had moved from one spot to another. She tried backtracking, but that didn't work either! No matter- as long as she moved, she would stay warm.

* * *

"No, in a new little way we know he can," said Yugi. Ryou had to register that the answer hadn't been sarcastic. 

Kaiba glared at Yugi, and his eyes narrowed. He looked down at Rhia, and briefly wondered what he would feel like if that were Mokuba, or how Seto would feel if it were Kisara.

"Hmph! Fine then!" he said, and Yugi's eyes lit up.

Rhia had been trudging around in what seemed the same spot for hours. Somehow, it had begun to snow, and it was already about six inches deep. Every time she took a step, her footprints disappeared into the snow. Walking around in a storm like this had taken its' toll. Rhia could no longer feel her feet, her fingers were light blue, and her teeth would not stop chattering. Every now and then she had to tell herself to keep going, to not stop, because once she did, she wouldn't start again. As she took another step, her foot landed on something misshapen, she heard a sickening crunch, as she fell flat on her face. Wiping the small ice particles off, she grabbed a small part of what she stepped on and regretted it as soon as she saw what it was. A skeleton hand that still had some rotting flesh attached. She screamed, dropped what she held, and pushed herself away from the remains. Only to land on another pile. She repeated this process another few times before realizing that they were all surrounding her.

She shivered harder, not just from the cold, but also from fear. She began walking again, careful to avoid the piles.

"Rhia," whispered a voice on the wind. "Rhiannon…"

Rhia's head whipped around, looking for the caller. She found no one. Rhia began to rub her arms to try to get feeling back into them. As the snow flurried down, the flakes left a crystal layer on Rhia's eyelashes that slowly clouded her vision.

'_I'm so cold. I can't stay awake much longer.'_ Rhia closed her eyes and prayed to whoever was listening for help.

"Child…" another voice called. "Come sleep with us." This voice was high and breathy, and blended perfectly with the wind. The idea was so inviting. Rhia was so tired.

"We'll keep you warm…rest now," The second voice in the wind said.

Rhia could already feel that warmth, a fuzzy feeling, like a blanket all around her. She lay down on the snow, which felt like a bed, and closed her eyes.

"Just a small nap." Was her whisper, which was swallowed up by the breeze.

* * *

After getting home, Yugi had taken Rhia to her room and laid her on the bed. There, he cleaned up Rhia's face and arms from the dried blood. 

"Kaiba?"

"Um-hm?" was the reply. The young man stood with his back to the others, his arms crossed across his chest, his eyes gazing out of the window.

'Will you... I mean... could you... Use... Telepathy... or, something... To see what's going on in her mind?"

Yugi's question had been sheepish, however, Kaiba was feeling generous. He 'hmmed', as if he was highly unimpressed, and then sat down next to Rhia and placed his palm over her forehead. Ignoring the cold, he sent his mind inwards, and the others watched as he seemed to go to sleep in front of them, his chin tucked in, his eyes peaceful. The lights were on, but there was no one at home.

"_Harada?"_ Kaiba called questioningly, his voice echoing down the shared soul corridor he had found himself in. So this is what a soul corridor was like...

There was no answer. _"Harada, I know you're in there open up." _He said, knocking on Rhia's door. He rapped on it a few times, froze, and swore. The door was ice cold! Kaiba tried opening it himself, but it didn't budge. He tried banging on it some more. Nothing. _"God, what the heck is going on?" _he murmured in wonder. He frowned. A cold door like this only meant two things: either the soul was not present, or the person was so afraid of something that they placed themselves in a self-induced coma to hide. Kaiba knew that Rhia still had her soul; he could faintly feel her, so the answer must be the latter. But, why? Why would she be so afraid that she would cut herself off from everything, even the outside world?

Was Rhia so afraid that along with placing herself in mental lockdown, she placed herself in a physical one as well?

Phasing back out into the real world, where Yugi and Ryou were talking softly and Atem was just watching, Kaiba blinked a few times as his mind came out of standby mode and looked up to face them with a grim yet strangely sympathetically professional expression on his face.

"Ra, Kaiba, what did you find?" Yugi asked.

Kaiba was silent for a moment, composing himself enough for what had to be said. "She seems to have locked herself up. Her door, it's so cold, and I can't even get to her. She's locked herself up so well that it's almost like she's not even there."

The admittance of something so shocking hit Yugi anew again and again. Rhia had touched him in a way that no one else had. He couldn't let her light go out like this.

Yugi turned to look at whom he dared to call his girlfriend. His shed tears began to grow in number. He bent down and brushed a few stray hairs from her face.

"Kaiba, can you guide me to Rhia's soul corridor? I want to try to get to her."

A nod.

_::Atem?::_

_:Yes, aibou?:_

_::Will you stand guard?::_

There was a grim nod in reply.

"I'm ready, Kaiba." And Yugi felt his mind phase out of his body, into hers and into the corridor. The transition was likened to an enclosed waterslide; fast, dark, and slippery. He landed with a thump next to Kaiba, who grudgingly lent him a hand to get up.

"_Her door has been getting colder and colder ever since I discovered she was like this." _Kaiba said.

Yugi walked up and touched the door, and quickly yanked his hand away again. It was freezing! Upon further inspection, he found ice in between the door and the wall, sealing it so no one could enter.

"_Ra,"_ he whispered, shocked. _"How could she do this?"

* * *

_

_How can you see into my eyes like open doors? _

_leading you down into my core, where I've become so numb._

_Without a soul, my spirit sleeping somewhere cold, _

_until you find it and lead it back home._

_Wake me up_

_Wake me up inside._

_I can't wake up._

_Wake me up inside._

_Save me._

_Call my name and save me from the dark._

_Wake me up._

_Bid my blood to run,_

_I can't wake up._

_Before I come undone._

_Save me!_

_Save me from the nothing I've become.

* * *

_

Yugi had thought for a while, and had come up stumped. He couldn't get in! As he sat and thought, more and more ice covered Rhia's door. Soon only a quarter of it was left uncovered by ice. Being fed up without another solution, he would try the most mundane thing he had thought of. Melt it. He turned to Kaiba.

"Do you have a fire type monster in your deck I can use?" he asked. He grunted, and shuffled through his deck.

"Solar Flame Dragon." He handed him the card.

"Thanks." Yugi concentrated, the puzzle flashed, and the dragon appeared. "Burn through that ice." He said. There was no time for pleasantries. The dragon did as told. It blasted the door, and soon it swung open, free from any ice. One second passed before the dragon, Yugi, and Kaiba were all subjected to a small frozen tundra. The harsh winds blasted snow into their faces and blew their clothes every which way.

"_Good lord."_ Breathed Kaiba, watching his breath rise. No wonder the door was cold.

Yugi got over his shock and called into the storm, "Rhia!" he waited a moment, and then called again, using her full name. "Rhiannon!" There was no answer. He didn't stop there. He motioned for the dragon to follow him before plunging into the two and a half feet deep snow.

* * *

_Now that I know what I'm without,_

_You can't just leave me._

_Breathe into me and make me real,_

_Bring me to life._

_Wake me up_

_Wake me up inside_

_I can't wake up_

_Wake me up inside._

_Save me._

_Call my name and save me from the dark._

_Wake me up._

_Bid my blood to run,_

_I can't wake up._

_Before I come undone._

_Save me!_

_Save me from the nothing I've become._

_Bring me to life. _

_I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside. _

_Bring me to life._

_Frozen inside without your touch without your love, Darling,_

_Only you are the life among the dead.

* * *

_

The dragon blasted a path through the snow, making it easier for Yugi. Kaiba stayed at the door, making sure it stayed open.

"Rhia!" Yugi called as loud as he could, hoping for a response. Nothing. Maybe Rhia would see the blasts coming from the dragon and come to them.

The dragon continued to blast the snow away.

Making a path for the one who had summoned it was not the only thing the dragon was doing. As he cleared away the snow, he revealed old, decaying bodies appeared. Yugi kept walking, and more appeared. Shots of fear and worry were injected into him. How could such bad omens be here? The bodies only meant she had lost all hope and was very afraid.

The wind increased as well, whipping the snow around, stinging his face and making it harder to see. The snow began to come down thicker than ever, obscuring his vision. Soon, he could only barely see his hand in front of his face. How would he find Rhia in a storm like this? It was like searching for a needle in a haystack. His hopes for finding his girlfriend dropped to the current temperature level. Yugi was about to turn around and go another direction when the dragon melted away another chunk of snow.

And there was Rhia.

* * *

_All this time I can't believe I couldn't see,_

_Kept in the dark but you were there in front of me._

_I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems,_

_Got to open my eyes to everything!_

_Without a thought,_

_Without a voice,_

_Without a soul._

_Don't let me die here._

_There must be something more!_

_Bring me to life!_

_Wake me up_

_Wake me up inside_

_I can't wake up_

_Wake me up inside._

_Save me._

_Call my name and save me from the dark._

_Wake me up._

_Bid my blood to run,_

_I can't wake up._

_Before I come undone._

_Save me!_

_Save me from the nothing I've become._

_Bring me to life. _

_I've been living a lie, there's nothing inside. _

_Bring me to life.

* * *

_

Yugi was by her side in an instant. She had fallen asleep in the snow. Every inch of skin, which Yugi could see without pushing some boundaries, was a hue of light icy blue.

"_Oh Kami-sama! What the… What do you expect me to do now?!? What to do? What to do?" _The tri-colored haired boy started pacing back and forth._ "Okay, first of all, breathe!" _he took a deep breath in, and then exhaled. As the icy air entered his system and froze his lungs, something took control of his thought process. Similar to if a control tower was built to assist him in processing what he should do in this situation.

"_Cover her with your coat."_ He did so, guiding her arms through the sleeves, and buttoning up the front. The freezing air made it hard for him to move his fingers, but all he could think about was getting his girlfriend to safety.

"_Next, pick her up and get her into the corridor." _For the second time that day, he picked her up bridal-style and started walking down the path he had just traveled. Yugi blinked in surprise at the sight of snow piling up before him. A fresh blanket of icy powder was already covering the road that Solar Flame Dragon had just cleared.

The wind bit his cheeks and screamed in his ears. As if it was angry at Yugi for stealing the victim that it rightfully stole. Flakes of snow, sticking together before they hit the ground, claimed Yugi's soon-to-be frozen arms, for they were exposed because of his act of chivalry. Though the young duelist was frigid, all he could think about was saving the one he loved. And so, he inched closer to the warmth of Solar Flame Dragon; and soon they were finally out of the blizzard and into the sheltered warmth of the corridor, where Kaiba slammed the door shut behind them.

"Where did you find her?"

Kaiba did not bombard Yugi with questions, but that was what it felt like.

"_Start a fire, not too close." _Yugi obeyed the latest command from his control tower. Soon the dragon had a warm, cheery fire burning a few feet away from where Rhia lay.

* * *

Meanwhile, Atem paced by the side of Rhia's bed, where her body lay. 

'_I really do hate being left out of things.' _He thought as he glanced at the young girl. He quickly did a double take when he noticed her skin was a light blue. _'What is going on in there? I wish... I wish Rehkyt was here...' _He thought, placing the back of his hand to her forehead. He jerked it back as if a snake had bit him. Her skin was colder than ice! Atem quickly tore out of the room in search of a thermometer. He came back as fast as he could and lightly slid it into her mouth. He pressed the on button and it beeped to life. A minute later, it announced its completion. Atem looked at it and shook it. _'This can't be right.'_ It read the normal 37 degrees Celsius. He tried the test again, and the results were the same. Atem growled to himself.

* * *

A concerned Yugi gathered his thoughts once more, and concentrated at the task at hand. He knew that he needed to warm her up slowly, too fast and he could put her body into shock, and too slow and he might lose her. 

"_So, now what?"_

"_Get her blood flowing."_

Yugi picked up Rhia's hand and started rubbing it between his. From there, he moved up her arm, then over to her other hand. When that was finished, he started massaging her feet. He worked his way up her legs, stopping himself just above the knee. A new wave of worry spread through his mind since she hasn't yet started shivering. He needed a sign that the deepest part of her subconscious had the desire to survive.

"_What next?" _hemurmured.

"_Any blankets around?"_

"Kaiba, can you please check in the other soul room and see if there are any blankets??" he asked. Kaiba didn't even answer, but, low and behold, he did respond. And two minutes later, he came back with an armful of them.

He covered her with one of the blankets and let her use his lap as a pillow.

Soon, with the aid of the added warmth, Rhia started to shiver. Slight joy jumped into Yugi's heart. He added another blanket and laid Rhia's head back on his lap. Rhia shivered harder and started to murmur about how cold she was.

"Heaven…no…you wouldn't. But…kiss…trusted…secret…" Then she started rambling on and on about him, and Rehkyt plotting against her and Atem. She was scared, sad, betrayed by those she trusts most, but most of all, hurt.

Her eyes finally quivered open. She turned away from Yugi when she saw him, the anger and betrayal inside so fresh it hurt. She was unable to get her head out of his lap, but the least she could do was not look at him. She couldn't trust him now.

Yugi was hurt that Rhia would think such things of him. He bent his head over hers; she could feel his warm, moist breath caressing her ear.

"Rhia, Rehkyt and I would never do that to you…Or Atem…Never."

Rhia turned her head and stared deeply into his soft amethyst eyes; soon both of them were lost into the gateways of their souls. Rhia limply lifted her hand and rested it on the curve of Yugi's jaw, guiding his head closer to hers. Yugi bent his knees to lift Rhia's head up so he didn't have to fold in half.

"Argh." said Kaiba, turning away into the corridor and making himself absent.

Yugi smiled, causing Rhia's heart to skip a beat. They resumed looking into each other's eyes until Yugi couldn't help it anymore, he swiftly closed the space between their faces, and his mouth covered hers. Soft lips touched in sweet embrace. A light ghost of chocolate flew on Yugi's lips, iced cinnamon graced Rhia's. The dance grew into delightful passion, but soon the need to breathe became too great.

Rhia used her arm to push herself up to Yugi they broke their contact and Yugi helped her sit up. Both were panting slightly. She sat beside him, but facing the other way and he covered her legs with one of the blankets, he draped the other over her shoulders. Rhia ran her fingers over his exposed shoulders and jerked her hands back.

"Your arms are so cold!" she exclaimed.

Yugi blushed, "I used my coat to cover you while we were in your soul room." Rhia motioned toward the last blanket. Yugi handed it to her and she draped it over his shoulders. He then pulled her body closer to his and restarted their kiss. Yugi held Rhia tighter, as if letting her go would mean she would fall back into the wintry tundra and her death. Rhia ran her fingers through the black part of his hair. He moved his hand up to her cheek just in time to feel the small diamond of liquefied salt caress it. He pulled away, "Are you okay? What's wrong? Was it…?" His eyes indicated their act over the previous minutes.

Rhia wiped more tears away from her face.

"No, it's not you. You were…are…this was wonderful it's just…" The tears came faster.

"Shh…it's okay." Yugi wiped more tears away but fresh ones replaced them. Rhia used a sleeve of Yugi's coat to make them disappear. Yugi pulled her closer and she burst out, uncontrollably sobbing into his shoulder. Yugi wrapped his arms around her small waist and rested them on her lower back. Rhia's arms were folded between their bodies.

Unable to do anything else to comfort the woman he loved, Yugi hummed a quiet lullaby he learned as a child.

Soon, Yugi's shirt was soaked through and Rhia had fallen asleep. He didn't care that his shirt was wet; he just moved her head to his other shoulder and held her torso as if he were holding a small babe. His heart softened even more at the sight of her relaxed face that was no longer haunted by fear. He bent over and softly touched his lips to hers one more time, this time trying to soak all his love and compassion for her into that one small gesture while she slept.

Atem continued to stare at Rhia's prone form as a single gem of liquid ran down her cheek.

"She's…crying?" He gasped, shocked and amazed. "Did Yugi and Kaiba get to her?" As he watched, both the puzzle and the necklace glowed brightly. Again, he felt the presence of his hikari, and Kaiba stirred.

_: Did you get to her?:_

_:: You'll see.:: _Yugi replied.

* * *

Something, maybe her subconscious told her that Rehkyt was no longer there. She began to sob, remembering her dream, and not believing that Rehkyt would have to pay Lady Ma'at like that. 

"_Rehkyt, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry... For betraying you. I…I had this dream where you betrayed me... I believed it."_ Rhia had thought, that after Yugi had left, that she could cry no more tears. She was wrong.

The salty rivers began to flow again. However, this time, they were in shame.

Once again, Rhia opened her eyes. However, unlike the last time, there was no gray expanse. This time, it was the light blue of the ceiling of her bedroom in the Game shop.

It came right after her first breath. The searing pain of having the other half of you ripped away. Rhia curled in on herself as she tried to get it to stop. Yugi leaned down from his place beside the bed and wrapped himself around her, in an attempt to give what little comfort he could.

"Rehkyt, I'm so sorry," Came a pained whisper. Her tears began again.

* * *

Ah yes. Poor Rhia. I just love beating her up. Chapter 13 in about a month and a half. Sometime in May. Perhaps at the end. 

Updated: 4/2/07

Later!


	14. Kibou

Hello all.

ducks from thrown objects, including pitchforks, hand grenades, bricks, random duel monster attacks, and manifested curses

I'M SORRY!!!!! GOMEN NASII!!! I know, I know, I should have updated in May or June. Can we say writers block, and then pure laziness? I won't blame you if you hate me...But here it is now!!!!

sigh

On a good note, I am offically 16, and I have a job and a savings account. Along with school starting on the 27th, don't expect the last chapter before Christmas. Yes, I said last chapter. Dear Gosh how I'm going to write it I have no idea...

Thanks to _**WildEm**_ and **_DragonDancer1014_** for the beta-ing. bows I owe you guys soooooooooo much. And Em, you'll be getting something from me very soon. Get thinking cap on.

Review thanks goes to...

_**WildEm, Valinor's Twilight, Thomas Drovin, Mei1105, the.phantom.banana, Kanashimi no Tenshi(Anima-Ereptor), Dark Raku, Antifish, DragonDancer1014, Namonaki Pharaoh, Anime WarriorSkye, Hedwig the MilleniumOwl, Flamescythe, Dakura Deoman, DJ Shortstop Clue,Divine Crimson Rose, perceptive dreamer, Angel's Nocturne, animeluver911, Mystic Chaos, Feariefighting101, Golden Lily Dew, White Dragon Girl, 16forever!!!**_

Guys, can we get the review count to 100 please? As a 16th birthday gift?

Now, expect an update for Crossing Paths: Second Edition instead. At least 2 chapts before Thanksgiving. Those are easier to write. Along with whatever one shots I decide to come up with.

I can't wait for the last chap. I get to explain the name origins and plot ideas. Along with rants and other things that are never really known unless the author decides to tell.

You guys know the deal with yami/hikari speak, don't you? One / for hikaris(Yugi) and two // for yamis (Atem).

Disclaimer:One would think after 14 posted chaps the lawyers would know that I don't own anything of which I write. Except for DVD's and 1002 Duel Monster cards.

* * *

Chapter 13

Kibou

(Hope)

The school bell rang and reverberated through the halls.

"Hey,Yug!" Joey greeted. He yawned loudly and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

Yugi sighed. "Oh, hi, Joey."

Yugi's best friend immediately noticed that something was wrong. He turned and firmly grabbed Yugi by the shoulders. "Ok, what's up?"

"What do you mean?"

"I've nevah seen yah say 'hi' so depressed like dat in my life."

"Oh. Well, nothing's wrong with me. It's Rhia."

"What happened?" 

"Bakura did." Yugi took a few moments to explain everything that happened that last Saturday, excluding the more intimate parts. "You didn't know that Rhia had a yami, did you?"

Surprise slapped itself onto Joey's face.**"**Nah. I had no idea. Don' tell me dat her yami is insane."

Yugi gave a small grin. "No. Rehkyt - Rhia's yami - is my other me's wife. They were married in Ancient Egypt. At the very end of the battle, Rehkyt was part of the payment to finally destroy Bakura. She was the total opposite of Rhia, and gave her balance. As Rhia was shy, quiet and reserved, Rehkyt was outgoing and a bit bossy. Rehkyt was forcefully taken. Rhia's…" Yugi looked down and shuffled his feet, trying to think of an explanation that would make sense to Joey. "She's broken."

* * *

The doorbell tinkled lightly as Joey, Yugi, Tea and Tristan entered the Game shop after school.

"Grandpa, I'm home!" Yugi shouted to the air. Mr. Mutou came out from the back of the shop with a small, weary smile on his face.

"Hello, Yugi, everyone," he said. There was a chorus of replies in return.

"How's Rhia?" was the first thing out of Yugi's mouth.

Yugi's grandpa sighed. "Quiet. And she's only come out of her room twice all day. Once to get a small snack and some aspirin, and another time to use the restroom. Other than that, I doubt she's even gotten off her bed."

"Thanks, Grandpa." Yugi turned to everyone else, who had on faces of varying degrees of compassion and pity. "I'm going to go talk to her for a few minutes, see if I can get her to come down. You can stay here and make yourselves comfortable in the living room, or you can come with me. Who knows? Maybe your company can snap her out of this."

"Yugi, we'll come with you. " Tea said.

"Yeah! Rhia's our friend! We may not've known her fer long, but a friend is a friend." Joey said encouragingly, somehow saying Tea's friendship speech.

Yugi gave a slow smile, and they all headed up to Rhia's room.

* * *

Rhia heard a knock on her door, as well as muffled voices. One voice finally broke through the poor sound barrier that the door provided.

"Rhia, it's Yugi. I brought the gang. Can we come in?" He trailed off, hopeful.

Rhia ignored Yugi for a moment, thinking it over.

* * *

On the other side of the door, all held their breath while waiting for an answer. A moment passed, and a strangled "Yeah," squeaked through the door. Yugi turned the knob, and the door swung open.

It was a poor sight that greeted their eyes.

Rhia was sitting Indian styleon her bed, dressed in gray sweatpants and a black baggy shirt. Her hair was a bird's nest and her eyes were red and bloodshot, like she had been crying all day. The truth was she had. When the gang had entered, she hadn't moved from her position, with her face in her hands and elbows on her knees. She stared unblinkingly at the Millennium Tauk, which was on the bed in front of her.

Tristan, surprisingly, was the first one to open his big mouth. "God, Rhia, what happened to you?"

Rhia jerked, like Tristan had physically hit her, and then brought her head up with a look of seething anger.

"What happened? To _me_?!!? I'll tell you what happened!! I got my other half ripped away from me! And I have neither hope nor idea on how to get her back. And you wonder what happened to me?!? Get out! _Get out!_" Rhia's voice was high-pitched and choked with tears. When the gang took too long to get out of her room, Rhia grabbed a pillow from her bed and threw it at them. Tristan got it in the back of the head. Yugi was the last one out, and when he had closed the door behind him, Atem spoke in his mind.

//Yugi, let me talk to her.//

/What?! I mean, she wanted _me_ out! She'll bite your head off!/

//I know, but she's trying to heal something that can't be healed without someone who knows what it feels like. Let me talk to her.//

/Okay./

Yugi sighed and released his body to his other half. Atem didn't even bother to knock when he went into Rhia's room.

"What do _you_ want?" She hissed when Atem found her facing away from the door.

"To help you heal." was his answer.

"What is there to heal?" she asked.

"The pain inside. The dull throb all around your heart, which just _won't_ go _away_. And the faint little voice in the back of your head that tells you it's your fault that Rehkyt's gone, and that it should be you instead of her."

"How did you guess?" A whispered question.

One word. "Rafael."

Slight shock ran through Rhia. _'That's right. I had forgotten…'_

"Rehkyt was my wife, Rhia! I'm just as upset and in pain as you are!" Atem exclaimed. "But I don't let it eat me from the inside out. Kismet brought you together to create one whole. I don't think fate would just suddenly rip you apart again. You have to have hope that we can get her back."

"Hope?" Rhia retorted. "There is no hope, not this time. You had a reachable goal then," she began, referring to DOOM. "Dartz was a mere mortal with a huge ego and an insane urge to take over the world. You knew who to go after! You knew it was physically possible. What do I do? Go after a god? And of all the gods, Lady Maat would be the one I'd have to go after! The goddess of truth and balance of all things! That's like asking Ammit, 'please eat me' and get my rear sent straight to Duat!" She spat, furious and scared all at the same time. "Hope…hope has deserted us at last." Rhia turned to face Atem at the end of her speech. With her face in her hands and shoulders shaking, she began to weep again.

Upon seeing Rhia's tears, Atem knew he could do no more to help her just yet. He retreated quietly and let his hikari embrace her.

Yugi held Rhia close, with one hand in her mussed hair and the other on her back. Rhia held both hands and her face on his chest. She took shakily deep breaths to gather what restraint she had left to control her tears.

"Do you want to come downstairs for a little while? Do you think you're up for it?" Yugi asked, releasing Rhia and holding her at arm's length.

Steeling herself, she nodded, "Yeah, yeah."

Yugi's smile was warm when Rhia took his left hand and together they headed downstairs.

* * *

The next day, Rhia went to school. The day was not easy for her. Even though she had taken Atem's pep talk to heart, she still couldn't help but be annoyed with everyone else at their cheerfulness. Everyone else noticed, too.

"Harada,"

Rhia looked up from her algebra and answered, "Yes, sensei?"

"I want to talk to you after class."

"Yes, Eniwa-sensei." Rhia responded in a monotone voice.

At the end of class, she told the gang to go on ahead, and that she would talk to the teacher alone. After they left, she walked up to the teacher's desk, her jaw set and her teeth grinding. She did _not_ want to deal with this.

"Harada, are you okay?"

A nod. "Yes, ma'am."

"Are you sure? You've been touchy to everyone, even -" Rhia cut her off.

"Sensei, _I'm fine_."

Eniwa looked at her a bit longer, trying to find the lie. She gave up after a minute.

"All right, go to lunch."

"Thank you, sensei," Rhia responded. She quickly turned on her heel and headed out of the class and down the hallway towards the cafeteria. She shook her head in thought. _'It seems that every teacher notices that I just don't want to be here.' _

She stopped walking and growled to herself. As she stared at the ceiling, she made a decision.

'_That's it! I'm going to Kaiba!'_ Forgetting about lunch, she again turned around and headed toward the auxiliary field, where she sensed Kaiba.

Rhia inwardly winced. Just the thought of her Light abilities hurt. Rehkyt was the one who had taught her how to sense magical beings and objects.

_Flashback_

"Ok, Rhia, today's the day when I teach you how to sensethings." Rehkyt began, sitting cross-legged on the floor of their shared soul corridor. Rhia did the same, paying close attention to her other half. "Close your eyes, and empty your mind as much as possible. Meditation isn't necessary for this, but an empty mind makes things much easier." Rehkyt said softly, guiding Rhia through the beginning steps. "Now, reach to your magic, and shape it like a net." She waited a moment for Rhia to complete this step. "Next, grab an edge," another pause. "And cast it. What do you feel?"

"A…a couple of dark spots, one right on top of the other, just below us." Rhia grinned. "That's Yugi and Atem, isn't it?" she asked.

Pride shot through Rehkyt, "Yeah. Anything else?"

"Um…" The female hikari reached out a little bit farther along her net of power. "Ah! OWwwwiiieee… Kaiba. And I think Priest Seto as well."

Rehkyt winced along with Rhia. She knew full well just how much those two eachhurt alone, and Rhia got them full force together on her first sensing. "Oh, yeah, sorry about that. I forgot to warn you. Unfortunately, there's no way to block them out. It's either sense everything or sense nothing. Though," she paused. "You did really well on your first try."

_End Flashback_

As she walked through the double doors to the auxiliary field, she spotted Kaiba on the top bench of the metal bleachers, typing away on the laptop on his knees. Rhia climbed onto and then stood on the very first bench. Five benches away, Kaiba continued to type, not even bothering to look up at the sound of someone clambering on the aluminum bleachers.

"Kaiba."

He stopped typing and looked straight at Rhia. His icy blue glare did nothing for Rhia's current confidence level. "What?" he asked sharply.

She answered timidly, but with a steady voice nonetheless. "I need your help."

"Why?"

"You and Priest Seto are the only people I know that have any powers distantly similar to mine. I need to learn how to completely control and use my abilities so I can challenge Lady Maat and at least have some remote chance of winning. All I ask of you is a bit of training and a ride up to the Palace of the Gods. Back down to earth if I win" She paused, having placed everything that was troubling her out in the open.

Kaiba was silent for what seemed like eternity, but was in actuality two minutes. "You want to challenge Maat for Rehkyt, am I right?"

"Yeah."

"You do know that our version of training will be that much more strenuous than Rehkyt's version."

"Don't care."

"Fine." His answer was again sharp. "Meet me at my house immediately after school. If you don't show, I will assume you don't care and never even consider helping you like this again. Am I clear?"

Her answer was determined. "Crystal."

"Good."

The hourly tone rang, alerting them both to the end of lunch. "After school, then," Kaiba got up, closed his laptop, and left the bleachers like they hadn't had this conversation. Rhia stood there and watched him leave.

The late bell rang long before Rhia left the bleachers herself. She departed the field and headed back home, ignoring the fact that there were another two periods left of school. She didn't care, and knew that if she didn't prepare now and place everything else as a second priority, she wouldn't win against Maat, and what use would school be then?

* * *

Yugi had rushed home, having not seen Rhia since the end of second period. He was slightly out of breath when he saw the lengthy note taped to the front door. He pulled it off without another thought, and began to read, right there outside the door.

_Yugi, and Atem,_

_You're probably wondering where I am right now and why I skipped the rest of school. Well, right now I'm at Kaiba's so call off the search that I know you want to throw to find me._

_I need training. Atem, you're a great teacher, please don't take offense, but Shadow is too different to Light. Angelic has a few more similarities. He said I had to be there right after school or he wouldn't do it. Please forgive me for not telling you earlier, I only thought of it today._

_The reason I skipped the last two classes is a bit harder to explain._

_When I was speaking with Kaiba at lunch, I realized something. I had realized that there was hope for me after all. However, it's probably not the hope you're thinking of. What I have is almost kamikaze-like in its effect. If I don't try at all, why continue living? And if I don't succeed, I'm extremely positive I won't come back. I guess I have to say it to make any sense to you. I know I've confused you by now._

_Yugi, I'm going up against Maat to get Rehkyt back. It's the only way. You both know it so don't deny it. _

_I'll be at Kaiba's mansion until I'm done _with_ my training. He's told the school I have appendicitis. _

_A gut feeling I have tells me that you're going to want to see me, to persuade me not to do this. At least not alone. Don't. I don't want anyone else to get hurt or feel pain because of me._

_I'm doing this for Atem as well. I can only imagine the pain I've caused him for letting Maat take Rehkyt. Having his wife that he loved so much again, only to be ripped away? Pure agony. I can't let myself be the cause of some else's pain because I was too weak._

_I'll come back right after I've defeated Maat. _

_I promise._

_Yugi, I love you._

_Rhiannon_

Yugi slid down the door as his legs slowly quit supporting him. Did she really mean that if she lost, he'd never see her again? Was she that suicidal? Why wouldn't she let him help her? Why? Didn't she know that this was causing him pain and worry? 

His fists clenched tight, horribly crumpling the paper. He stood with his fists still shaking and a frown that marred his cherubic-like features.

No. He wouldn't let her think that keeping him away would cause less pain. He'd tell her it caused _more_.

Forgetting that he had a backpack on that held two heavy textbooks and hours of homework to do, he began to run. He'd set this straight, and he'd do it _now_.

* * *

Yugi stood panting at the gates of Kaiba mansion. He pushed the buzzer as his breath returned. A tinny voice spoke after a minute, "Hello?""Mokuba! It's Yugi. Could you let me in?" 

"Hi Yugi. Not so sure I can let you in,though. I don't think Nii-san or Rhia would like that much. Ummm…" Mokuba trailed off, unsure.

"Mokuba, _please_." Yugi begged.

A sigh crackled over the speakers, "Okay, I'll see you at the front doors." The gates automatically swung open, admitting Yugi and getting him ever so closer to setting things straight.

"Rhia's in the gym." Mokuba said as he led the way.

"Hmm…" Yugi said nothing in response.

"Yugi, what's wrong? You seem all bothered and worried about something." Mokuba inquired. Yugi was silent again, his focus elsewhere. "Yugi?" Still no reply. Mokuba shook his head. "They're in there, past the doors." Mokuba gestured and Yugi picked up his pace a bit.

Yugi charged through the double doors. The resulting crash led Kaiba and Priest Seto to glance at the door and then go back to observing Rhia.

Rhia, on the other hand, whipped around and gasped at the sight of the one person see didn't want to see at the moment.

"Rhia!" came Priest Seto's reprimand, but it went unheard.

"Yugi!" Rhia gasped in shock.

"What were you thinking?!" was the first thing out of Yugi's mouth, hard, sharp, and loud. Rhia squared her shoulders back a bit, but said nothing. Yugi repeated his question, "What were you thinking?! You skip out on the last two periods of school, and don't tell anyone what you're doing and why? And it gets worse! You go off to get a bit of training and then intend to battle one of the most important and powerful Egyptian gods without any support." Yugi ranted, letting out all of his worry and fear. "All the training in the world won't help you if you go up there alone, Rhia! Why did you think you even could?" He breathed in and out hard, too infuriated to go on with his rant. The letter that Rhia had written had been clutched in Yugi's hand the whole time and now he let it go to fall at Rhia's feet.

"Why did I think I could? I thought it was the only way! Oh Yugi, don't you understand?" she pleaded, throwing her arms into the air. "Every time I make friends, _real_ friends, they somehow get hurt because of me. Look at Rehkyt! Maat has her because she was protecting me. God, Yugi, I don't want something to happen to you, that could possibly be worse, because of me! That would eat me up inside a thousand times more than the pain of my other half being gone! Dear God, Yugi, I can deal with the pain inside if I fail by myself, but if I fail and drag someone else along with me, I'd find the closest cliff and throw myself off it. The only reason I'm doing this is for Rehkyt, that she got hurt because of me! Don't you see?" Rhia stopped and let her arms fall, and tears began to form in her eyes.

Yugi was speechless for a moment. Soon, he spoke again, "Rhia, I feel almost the same way. It drives me insane when my friends are in danger and all I'm doing is twiddling my thumbs and shuffling my deck! I have to be there for my friends, to support them and take hits, or the worry eats me from the inside out." He paused, compassion written everywhere on his face. Rhia, after hearing that, had no more defenses against Yugi to keep him away and supposedly safe. She looked down, opened her mouth, shut it, and sighed.

To all it seemed as if she was folding in on herself. Making comforting sounds, Yugi wrapped his arms around her.

Both the ancient priest and CEO noticed that this was turning a bit private, and decided to disappear into the next room until the emotional pair was finished.

When Rhia came out of her shell, Yugi said, "No one could hurt me because of you. No one." Rhia took a shuddering breath to control the emotions bubbling underneath her skin. She nodded in understanding. The two separated, and now that she was back to her senses, Rhia looked around.

"Where did Priest Seto and Kaiba go to?"

Yugi's eyebrow's scrunched up in thought. " I have no idea. I wonder why they left."

"Whatever," Rhia shrugged. "I'll find them."

A few minutes later found Yugi and Rhia in the next room over suffering glares that would melt steel.

"Are you _done_ with your emotional breakdown?" Priest Seto asked, as he looked down his nose at both of them.

"Eh heh, yeeaaahhh…sorry about that. Things are ok now." Rhia blushed in embarrassment as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Good."

"Does that mean _you're_ staying _too, _Yugi?" Kaiba said, tapping his foot against the floor.

"Yep."

Kaiba rolled his eyes and his upper lip tightened somewhat, mumbling something that sounded like 'oh great'. Priest Seto, continuing to look down his nose, grasped his chin in thought.

"Do you always look down on people like that?" Rhia asked, annoyed, furrowing her eyebrows in a determined manner and frowning slightly.

"I don't have a lot of choice, I _am_ six-foot-four." he said as if she were blatantly thick. "You on the other hand, are not, so I would advise you to pay attention."

Kaiba tilted his head to the side. "What has Rehkyt already taught you?

"Um," Rhia began, "sensing."

"The net theory?"

"Yeah."

Kaiba nodded. "How good are you at that?"

Rhia shrugged. "Pretty good. I can do it and everything... But..."

"Right." Kaiba interrupted brusquely, making Rhia blink as if someone had just slapped her around the face. "To demonstrate the objective of this exercise, we are going to start by playing a little game."

"Eh?" she said, as he conjured a black blindfold from nowhere and threw it at her.

"Put it on."

"Er..." she dithered, "You want me to play blind man's bluff to learn something?"

"You could say it like that, yes." Kaiba said, walking off to yell at a few of his household staff. A few minutes later, the butler and a maid came through with a load of random things: Mokuba's toys, cutlery, the TV buttons, and more stuff.

Kaiba pointed at the door. "Out." They scampered, leaving the group alone again.

"Put it on." he said again, and Rhia reluctantly pulled the piece of cloth over her eyes. He laid three of the items out on the floor about two to three meters away from Rhia. A Rubix cube, the TV buttons, and a candle."

"Alright. There are three items on the floor around you. I want you to find them, and tell me what they are. _Without _using any Magic."

"What? But..."

"Do it!!!"

Rhia pulled a face before getting down on her knees. She reached out in front of her slowly with her right arm, moving it around so that it was touching the floor, like it was the hand of a clock. She moved out a bit, and repeated the motion. Her elbow came into contact with something round. She gasped at it, and picked it up.

"Good." said Kaiba, folding his arms, "Now what is it?"

"It's, um..." she said, feeling it with her fingers, "It's round... It's sorta waxy..." her fingers found the wick, "Ah. A candle."

She found the other two items, and identified them as well. She yanked the blindfold off, making her bangs stand up in a frazzled way. She sighed and frowned. "I came here for a magic lesson. So what the hell is this all about?"

"Because you need to learn to feel," Priest Seto said absently, inspecting the Millennium Rod closely. "What Rehkyt has taught you is called visualization. Which is all well and good, but it's useless. Visualization slows things down and restricts your mind to only what it can translate into images. When sensing, you have to feel, not see."

"So..."

"So, do you remember what it felt like when you were reaching out with your arm to find those items? If you couldn't feel anything, then you reached out further. Now, try again, only now I want you to feel with your mind, and not with your hand, and this time, you will be searching Domino for whatever you can find."

"But, I can't sense things with you and Priest Seto so close! It hurt when I tried from the Game Shop!!!"

"Yes." said Kaiba, again, as if she were stating the obvious. "It will hurt. But tell me this, Rhia. You were going to fight Lady Maat, and you expected it not to hurt? ... WAKE UP RHIA!!! Who are you _kidding_? You're even thicker than I expected."

Rhia growled. "But it's impossible!!!"

"As is taking on Lady Maat. So tell me, Rhia, do you _actually_ have a strategy for this, or are you going to dither in your usually _pathetic_ manner which always nearly gets you killed?"

Rhia lowered her head and drew circles on the floor with the toe of her shoe. Kaiba narrowed his eyes, but this time not so nastily. She could feel his sapphire blue orbs boring into her, and couldn't bring herself to meet them.

"Are you trying to read my mind?" she asked, finally sucking up the courage to meet his gaze.

"Or..." he said, also, less harshly, but more in intelligent realization, "Somewhere deep inside you, were you hoping that Lady Maat would win?"

Yugi gasped, and Rhia's eyes widened. "That's ridiculous!!!"

Kaiba's eyes softened for two words. "Is it?"

"Yes!!! All I want is to get Rehkyt back, Kaiba!!! I wanna go up there, and get Rehkyt back!!!"

Kaiba sneered. "If you want to be the heroine of this little story you've got going, then I can find you plenty of playmates from Mokuba's class. Otherwise, I suggest you _grow up_!!! And grow up _fast_!!! You are _far_ too obsessed with wallowing in self pity for your own good, and if you think that that alone will give you the motivation to recover your precious Rehkyt, then you're _seriously_ mistaken!"

Rhia's jaw was quivering. "Then, Mr. 'I'm-so-much-better-than-everyone-else', what do you propose I do!!! I _am _serious!!! I _am _going to get Rehkyt back, whether you think I can or not! I don't care if I have to go to _Hell_ and back to do it, and if you think that losing someone can't give you the motivation to get them back, you have a twisted, warped..."

"Losing someone makes you _weak_!!! Do you _honestly_ believe that you are in any fit state to fight anyone??? Look at yourself!!! You're a wreck!!! You can't even tie your own shoelaces in under five minutes!"

"What are you saying?"

Kaiba's eyes flashed. "I'm saying _toughen up _Rhia!!! Get over it, for Ra's sakes!!! Stop trying to find the answer, and find it!!! I honestly couldn't give a monkey's arse if I trained you so hard that you went home coughing up blood!!! But if you do, then you march your arse out of those gates right now because I refuse to waste my time on a stupid little girl who's trying to be something she's not!!!"

Yugi was silent, and watched Rhia for a moment, her eyes looking down while she searched her soul. Kaiba certainly wasn't the most forgiving teacher, but did he have a point? She hung her head down as if she were crying.

"Rhia...?" Yugi began, holding out his hand as if to hug her, but he stopped it in mid-air and stood seemingly frozen.

She shook her bangs out of her eyes and glared up at Kaiba intensely. "What do I have to do?"

* * *

"I'm not going to repeat myself, so listen up." Kaiba snapped. "The next ability I am going to teach you is called photokinesis, the manipulation and creation of light, and from this ability you will learn how to become invisible."

"Photokinesis..." she muttered to herself. "Right. Hit me."

"As you know from Physics lessons, Light is electromagnetic radiation, and, as you should also know, it does not have to be visible. It can be any length of wave; the human eye can only see certain wavelengths. I'm not going into all the detail, your brain would implode. Light, however, has a wave-particle duality, which means that it also behaves as an elementary particle, the photon. There are three basic dimensions of light. Intensity, or, if you think in wave terms, amplitude, which is related to the perception of brightness of light; Frequency, or wavelength, which is perceived by humans as the color of light; and polarization, the angle of vibration and the direction of the electromagnetic field, which is only weakly perceptible by humans under normal circumstances..."

Rhia was glad that she was reasonably good at physics. Otherwise, Kaiba might have caused her brain to implode. English was her favorite, but even though she wasn't bad at physics, Kaiba was working a good few years ahead of the rest of his honors class, as a result of Gozaburo's training, which was to sat tortureShe could tell that she was going to have to research some of this stuff herself. But that was fine. It was okay. She could do it.

"Now, from what you know about light, have you got any ideas about how the factor of intensity could be useful?"

"Well..." she said, "I could use it to blind people. I could, um..." She snapped her fingers a few times. "And if intensity is the amplitude of the wave, and I have the power to alter the frequency, I should be able concentrate it, shouldn't I? So I could make spheres of Light... But what if the source wasn't constant? Wouldn't the room go dark?"

Kaiba shook his head and sighed. "Not if you were the source, which you will learn to be."

"But how could I make that offensive?"

"Now, think energy theories. You also know that energy can take different forms: light, thermal, potentional gravitational, chemical, sound, kinetic, etc. You should be able to change the light energy into, maybe, thermal energy, which would mean you could burn people or things, or maybe kinetic, to push them back or blow off a limb..." Rhia grimaced. "Get used to it!" he snapped. "Sound, to deafen them and, as long as you concentrate it around your target and dissipate the wavelength before it reaches you, you could deafen them and be fine yourself, chemical and potnetional gravitationalaren't very useful in this case, but you get the point."

"If light works as a particle, then couldn't I use chemical theories about the reactivity of particles to make it offensive?"

Kaiba shook his head. "No, because photons are elementary particles, which means that they don't have any substructures, so no, I'm afraid. But also, the shorter wavelengths that cannot be seen by human eyes are much more harmful. Gamma rays, for example."

"All right." She rubbed her hands together. "How do I do it?" 

Kaiba smirked. "Feel for the rays of light that are around your hand. Capture them. Feel, don't look. That's it."

Rhia had closed her eyes so that she was forced to feel, and she could feel the light dancing in her hand.

"Now, you may be able to feel some heat from what you have there," Kaiba said, "and that itself is a waste of energy, so you need to convert that thermal energy make into light energy... Better... Now, I want you to make the wavelengths shorter - the sphere you have will become much smaller, so keep adding to it. The sphere will become invisible, as the frequency will be too high for humans to see, but you will still be able to feel it, which is good because you can attack people without them knowing until the attack has actually hit them. Good."

"Is gamma that dangerous?"

"Gamma is very dangerous.It causes all sorts of ionization reactions to happen inside your body, and if you get exposed to too much of it, that spells a very nasty death. But if you don't want to do that, you can make the wavelengths slightly longer and you'll get X-rays, which are slightly less harmful, and slightly longer still, you get UV rays."

"Is it only harmful when I make the wave length shorter?"

"Well, you will also have the ability to interfere with existing longer TV and radio waves. Using them isn't very useful- you need a computer to interpret the information they carry- but you will be able to block telecommunications. And microwaves,which are slightly shorter, are very harmful, because their wavelength is exactly perfect for heating up water. Zap someone with microwaves for too long, and they start to cook. Literally. Inside and out. Some idiot put their cat in the microwave oven to dry it off after a bath, and it exploded once."

"Eww."

"Useful interrogation tactic. It will exhaust you to begin with. Now, invisibility. You can bend and manipulate light. All your little brain has to comprehend is that they come from all directions, and you control them so they bend around you and continue on their original path. So... Do it!"

And so it continued. Rhia managed to successfully bend some of the rays of light, but not all of them, so she was still visible from certain angles. Kaiba did not seem entirely impressed.

"Now, I want you to practice that, until you get it dead perfect. If it isn't dead perfect by tomorrow, I will make you do it perfectly, and I won't need to use mind control." he said sharply. Rhia didn't gulp, or look nervous, or freak out. She just nodded to him in understanding.

"Consider it done."

* * *

Arriving at the game shop, the first thing Rhia did was tell Grandpa Mutou and Yugi that she was home (they had closed the store). Then, she went for a small snack and some water before heading straight for her room to perfect going invisible. The food and water quickly disappeared, and that meant she had to get straight to it.

Rhia closed her eyes and imagined all the light particles around her. The small, little dots surrounded everything in the room, bouncing off some things, like the mirror, or being absorbed into others, like the bed. Or the plant by the window, which was a bit brown from the abuse of not being watered in the last few days.

She imagined the particles around her- instead of running right into her- swerving around her like they were cars moving around a roadblock.

This only worked by half. Rhia had disappeared, if one were facing her front. Her back was exposed, like someone had cut her in half, separating the front from the back, but one could only see the back.

Rhia looked in the mirror and grimaced.

'_Kaiba would not be pleased with this.'_ She could just imagine what he'd say, _"That'd work, Harada, if you could keep facing toward your opponent. But, seeing as there will most likely be space behind you, your opponent can get behind you and see you." _

She tried again, and got the reverse. Her front showed instead of her rear. _'Oh, the things he'd say to this.'_ She rolled her eyes.

'_Ok, the roadblock theory doesn't work perfectly. Maybe…'_ Her thought trailed off. Instead of the light flowing away, she repelled it away from her completely, as if there was light repellant on her. It seemed to work, as she couldn't see herself at all in the mirror.

"Yugi!" She yelled out of the room. "Could you come here for a minute?"

"Yeah!" The faint call from the kitchen rang. Footsteps thumped up the stairs as Yugi ran up them. "What is it?" He asked, opening the door. Not seeing Rhia, he craned his head in and called again, "Rhia?"

"I'm here," her voice came from the room, directly in front of the mirror in the back of the room. "You can't see me?"

"Nope." His eyes still searched the room.

//Where is she? I can't even see her, so what is it// Atem asked, phasing out in spirit form.

"Come on in. Actually look for me. I need to try this out." Rhia said.

They both came in and saw nothing.

"Are you absolutely sure you can't see me?" Both Yugi and Atem shook their head. Rhia grinned. She walked up to both of them and pulled a face, then stepped back a bit. "You can't see me because I'm invisible. That's what I was supposed to perfect today. And it worked!" She reined the magic back in and reappeared. A huge grin was on her face, but it didn't last long. A huge wave of nausea and dizziness hit her like a tidal wave, forcing her to sit down really fast. She groaned. "Ooohhhhggg…that didn't feel good."

"Whoa…!" Yugi lunged for Rhia, and kept her sitting upright when she hit the floor. "You might have just used more magic than you had. Maybe you should go to bed." Rhia only nodded weakly.

She rose from the floor and Yugi supported her the whole way, making sure that she didn't fall over again. Rhia practically fell into the bed and was asleep faster than onecould say "Duel!"

Yugi tucked her in and left the room as he closed the door behind him.

/She's working herself so hard. /

//Yes. She misses Rehkyt, and the grief is eating her alive. She probably feels the only way to numb that grief is to overexert herself. But that doesn't work. //

/Why/

//It's like alcohol. It may numb the pain for a while, but when it wears off, it's ten times sharper. And then, after a while, it doesn't numb the pain anymore. //

/Rhia… /

//I'm going to see Kaiba. You get some rest, aibou. //

/Ok. / With that Yugi's side of the link went quiet, sleep quickly coming to him in his soul room.

Concentrating on the Puzzle, Atem created a Shadow Portal straight to Kaiba. Three seconds of walking in shadows and there he was in Kaiba's extravagant living room. Kaiba could've easily kept him out if he really didn't want him to come. Creating the portal was like knocking on a door.

"What do you want?" Kaiba asked, not looking away from his laptop.

"To ask you a favor."

Kaiba muttered, "What is it with everybody asking me for favors?"

"When you take Rhia up to the Palace of the Gods, I want to go too."

"You don't think that Rhia will win against Maat," Kaiba simply said, now looking up at the Game King.

Atem crossed his arms and sighed, "Yes," A pause. "I wouldn't let her go at all if Rehkyt wasn't her yami. But Rehkyt's my wife. I won't just stand here and let someone else do my dirty work."

"Rhia will protest."

"Let her."

Just then, Priest Seto appeared in a flash of light.

"Hello, Cousin. What brings you here?"

"You already know." Seto did nothing but sit down in an armchair facing Atem.

"I do not believe that anyone can truly defeat Maat. She is the one who gives Ra his power. The best chance Rhia has is to challenge her to a game of some type and hope Maat loses." Priest Seto said after a moment of silence.

"Yes." Atem nodded in agreement.

"I will take you." Seto said.

* * *

"Now, whether you will find Empathy easy or not depends on your ability to sympathize with others..."

"That's why he found it so difficult." said Priest Seto, again rather absently.

"Shut up!" Kaiba snapped, before turning his attention back to Rhia who was wearing two dark bags under her eyes, "Empathy is basically extended sensing, but you have to wait for the- let's call them signals- to reach you, rather than you reaching for them. It's like mind readingbut deeper. And it's one where you have to use common sense... Not that you would have much of that..." he trailed. "You sometimes have to feel behind the façade. Some emotions are more evident than others, anger, fear, and love being the strongest. Others are sadness, joy, disgust, surprise, curiosity, and acceptance. You know what these all feel like, so you shouldn't have any problems identifying them when you feel them. The catch with empathy is that, when you sense other peoples' feelings, they are provoked in yourself; so don't go bursting out into tears every five minutes. Eventually, you will learn empathic transmission, which is making others feel certain emotions, which is a useful distraction and weakening technique. The technique for empathy is to detach yourself from the rest of the worldand, as far as you can, put yourself in their shoes. So go on, tell me what he's feeling right now." he said, jerking his head towards his yami.

Rhia closed her eyes and concentrated, thinking that maybe Priest Seto, or Kaiba, for that matter, would perhaps not be the easiest target to read emotions from. Her legs began to go numb and she gripped at her temples tightly. It was like trying to mentally put her soul into his body. The first thing she realized was the psychokinetic and mental defensive barrier around his soul. So, she had been right. She felt it dissipate; he was letting her in, although she could bet that it was only for the benefit of the exercise. She felt a massive surge of heat blow at her, which she seemed to absorb. It was lulling and sweet, yet unexplainably strong.

"Ah..." she said in a trance-like manner. "Love..." _"Kisara." _she thought to herself. Kaiba said nothing. If he had, she probably wouldn't have heard him anyway. She let this feeling wash over her for a moment, enjoying the soothing sensation it was giving. She tried to rummage around to find any more, but it was easier said than done. The love was seemingly affecting all his other emotions as well. "Anger... Curiosity..." Strangely, there was no surprise. Not an ounce of it. Rhia wondered briefly if that was because of his calmness. He seemed to take everything in his stride, and having seen and done it all, and being incredibly clever, she doubted whether much took him by surprise at all. Although she wondered why the barrier was so powerful - there was no way she would have ever gotten past it if he hadn't lowered it.

Speaking of the barrier, Rhia shrieked and fell over backwards as he raised it to full strength again, pushing her right out.

"Oww." she said, hitting the gym floor hard. She felt a rush of weakness come over her, and began to feel dizzy.

"Get up." Kaiba said.

Rhia heaved herself up, her legs and arms quivering.

She took a few deep breaths. She knew that Kaiba and Priest Seto looked identical save for a few minor details- tan, eyeliner, etc- but this was ridiculous. How many of them were there anyway? Six? Twelve? Thirty? All of them saying her name, over and over and over and over...

"_Rhia...Rhia... Rhia_...!"

She collapsed to the floor. "Kaiba... I can't!!!!!"

"Yes, you bloody well can!!!" he yelled, kicking her in the side, making her cry out. "Get up! Now!!! You have to be stronger than this!!!"

"I can't be!!!"

"Yes, you will be!!! I'm not giving you a choice, you pathetic shrimp of a girl!!!" he hissed, hauling her roughly to her feet.

"I'm so tired!" she groaned, as her knees gave way again, and he grabbed her by the collar and shook her.

"_I don't care_!!!!" he held her collar until he was sure that she wasn't going to collapse again, before letting it go and folding his arms. "I'm wasting my time here."

Priest Seto strode over, stood between them and faced Rhia. "Go home. Have a hot bath. Go to bed. Come back tomorrow fresh, for Ra's sake. This is like trying to teach Magic to a rock."

"Thank you..." she murmured, before taking herself out of the gym. Kaiba waited until she was out of earshot, before tilting his head to the side slowly as if to give his neck a rest.

"She'll never beat Maat," he said. "Not if she can't stand up to me."

"You and she are not the same, Kaiba," Priest Seto replied."I could train you like that because you were used to it,you do not bruise as easily as she does. Keep training her like that, eventually she will get used to it, but she needs time for the transition. Nothing happens overnight. I do agree with what you said about her secretly wanting to lose though. She is strong, but she does not deal well with grief."

"We'll see."

* * *

Rhia lay in bed, exhausted but too wound up to sleep. She looked at the clock and groaned. It said 1:00am.

'_I'll be worse than I usually am tomorrow at training if I don't get to sleep __now!__ What is it that's keeping me up?'_

It didn't take long for the girl to figure it out. _'Of course.'_ She gave a mental snort, _'Kaiba. Dear Isis, I think he was right. I __am__ weak. I need to wake up and smell the roses. Maat is a god! I need to expect pain when battling her. And I need to expect pain while training as well. I have to ignore every little thing he throws at me. Lock the pain up and it will go away.' _She took a deep breath. _'This…is going to be hard.'_

Rhia was finally able to close her eyes and get some sleep, even if her dreams weren't exactly happy.

* * *

"This time maybe you'll learn this the _first _time around." he said, a viciousness to rival Maat's herself balancing on his tongue. "Next is creating illusions, something you should find relatively easy. It is similar to becoming Invisible, where you had the light particles bend around you. Here, you manipulate the light waves only slightly, to get color, and contain them in different forms."

"Holograms?" Rhia asked, suddenly curious.

"Holograms."

"Right. So…" Rhia kept her eyes open for this. She needed to see detail. Next to Kaiba, the air began to shimmer and change. A moment later, there was a copy Kaiba standing right next to the original.

"Hmm…acceptable. But do it with something from memory. Give me a wall of Kuribohs."

Rhia narrowed her eyes at him but did it anyway. Soon, the gym was filled to the brim with unusually silent Kuribohs. She gritted her teeth and began to breathe heavily at the strain of keeping so many individual illusions up.

"Good."

At that one word, all the Kuribohs disappeared. Rhia dropped to the floor as the room spun violently. "Who stuck me on an out-of-control merry-go-round?"

"Get _up_, Harada. Maat won't give you breaks like this, so why should I?" Rhia ignored him for the moment, as she attempted to get the room to stop spinning.

"Get up!" 

"Give me a minute, you over-demanding slave driver!" she screeched, and without thinking, quickly changed a handful of light into kinetic energy and threw it at Kaiba. As he was not expecting this, he was pushed back a few yards.

Unknown to Rhia, Kaiba mentally congratulated her. She was finally standing up to him. Maybe she had a chance against Maat after all. Albeit a small one.

* * *

I am very, VERY proud of this chapter. What did you think?

Review!


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